The Edge of Glory
by Alex Beckett
Summary: Here is the third installment in the Lily Joy universe! Enjoy!
1. Monday

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, except for season two. But anybody can buy that…**

_April 20 _

_Alexis' Point of View _

Mondays. Ugh.

This is not my day. It's not.

Okay, so Ashley and I have moved out of our parents' houses recently and moved into a spacious apartment in Gramercy Park with Tobias, and we're all happily settling in—so that counts for something.

But… things can always happen that will seriously throw a wrench in the day's overall mood.

For instance, Ashley had to go on an assignment in New Jersey, so Tobias and I brought him to the train station to see him off and say goodbye, but that was an hour ago, and now Tobias is just downright cranky about his father's absence. He hasn't lightened up once and I know that he's taking all of his anger on me by becoming the surliest toddler I've ever set eyes on. But… it could also have something to do with the fact that my boy has come down with a case of the sniffles and was already cranky to begin with.

After dropping Ashley off, Tobias and I caught taxi over to the office building of _The Ledger _so I could turn in an article for the entertainment column I contribute to on a monthly basis, but I barely made it into the editor's office because Tobias was making things extra complicated by insisting that he walk for as long as he could even though he was clearly under the weather. (That's my own stubborn streak coming back to get me, I suppose) He insisted on walking as opposed to me carrying him and he started an absolute ruckus when I tried to pick him up.

And… I haven't been feeling well for awhile now. I'm pretty sure that it's morning sickness, meaning the possibility of a pregnancy. I only just arrived at that conclusion the day before yesterday but I haven't had a chance to tell Ashley yet because he was preparing to leave and all of my spare time and energy was devoted to taking care of Tobias, whose overall mood is a cross between surly and crummy, leaving no real time for me to take care of myself.

But it's just as well that I haven't told Ashley about my suspicions of a pregnancy because although we've been trying since his birthday in February to make a baby, I would not be in the mood to put up with any of the over protectiveness of his that kicked into full gear when I was pregnant with Tobias because I know that Ashley loves his family, but the last thing I need is for him to be fussing over me like an anxious mother hen. For all I know, I could have just caught Tobias' cold. All I want is for someone else to take care of me for awhile so I can get some sleep.

I hate today. Truly.

I need my parents.

Mom is probably at work—she's recently been promoted to captain of the Twelfth Precinct—but I know that dad would be at the loft…

When I called him, he answered on the third ring.

"Hey, Pumpkin! What's up?"

"Can Toby and I come hang out at the loft today?"

"Of course, but Jamie, Jed and Joey have been either knocked out of commission or are slowly on their ways there because they all have pretty awful colds. Mom, LJ and I haven't gotten sick. Yet."

"Daddy, that doesn't matter." I was practically on the edge of tears because I was feeling so awful. "Toby and I are feeling like garbage right now. I just dropped Ashley off at the train station because he has an assignment in New Jersey that's going to keep him for a week or so."

"You let him go because you don't want him to worry about you right now?"

"Yes, and this kind of thing is really big for his career." I felt my stomach suddenly flip-flop and quickly prayed that I wouldn't puke. "I really don't know how I'm even standing up right now."

"Okay, Alexis, where are you and Toby right now?" dad's tone was completely serious now. "I'll send—"

I cut him off. "I'm at my editor's office building in Midtown. Don't bother sending a town car because it'll be faster and easier if we just catch a taxi."

"Your brothers and sister are napping right now, so I'll go make sure that everything is ready for you two."

"Thank you, daddy." I felt like a little kid again, calling him that.

"You're welcome. I'll see you soon."

I hung up and turned to Tobias to see that he'd gone from surly and crummy to cute, cuddly and sleepy, even though it wasn't even noon yet. He and I were sitting on a bench in the front lobby of my editor's building and he was lying down with his head in my lap.

"Toby, we're going to go hang out with Grandpa, Jamie, Jed and Joey right now."

He gave a monster yawn. "Mama Katie? Tee-Tillie?"

"Mama Katie is at work and Lily is at school." I ran my fingers through his curly hair, playing with it. "You ready to go?"

He nodded sleepily. "Beddy-bye firs'?"

"Sure." I gathered my things up, got to my feet and picked him up. "Sleep now, and I'll wake you when we get there, okay?"

He nodded yet again and snuggled even closer to me, more than halfway to Dreamland by now. I gave my son a kiss on the top of his head and headed out to the sidewalk with him to the nearest taxi stand, and I was able to hail a taxi pretty quickly. The ride started off pretty smoothly and I even started dozing off, even though our destination wasn't all that far away.

I was brought back to reality when the cab driver was yelling something about not being able to avoid a car that was barreling down the road, straight for us. I barely had time to grab Tobias and hold him as close to my body as possible for protection when…

_CRASH! _

The oncoming car collided with ours on the driver side, making it spin completely out of control. I screamed, and so did Tobias, but that was completely warranted. Honestly, I'm not sure how long our car spun out for, but when we finally came to a standstill, I was thankful that I was restrained by a seatbelt because I came out of it with a massive headache, a few bumps and bruises complete with a throbbing wrist.

When I looked down, Tobias was not in my arms. He was on the floor by my feet, moaning and whimpering in pain.

"Toby!" I said his name frantically as I undid my seatbelt which was thankfully working. "Toby, baby boy—mama's here! I'm here, I'm right here!"

"Hurt bad! Owie!"

The cab was pretty badly smashed, but I maneuvered myself so that I was crouched at his feet, tight fit that it was.

"I'm so sorry, Toby." I tried my hardest to sound comforting and it was made slightly easier because I heard sirens in the distance. "Can you tell me where it hurts?"

He lifted his right leg a fraction of an inch before howling in pain. Tears immediately welled up in my eyes and spilled over before I could stop them, but I did the best I could to comfort Tobias because he was obviously scared and unwell, something I know firsthand is very stressful as a little kid. With trembling fingers and ignoring the pain I felt in my wrist, I pulled back his pant leg to inspect the damage and bit back a gasp at what I saw—his leg was bright red and quite swollen. Tobias' leg was broken.

I burst into tears, completely overwhelmed.

The next thing I knew, the firefighters had arrived and were working on getting us out once the doors had been pried off with their special tools. They pulled me out first, and needless to say, I was kind of a hysterical mama by that point.

"What about Toby? My boy is in there and he's hurt! Get him out!"

"We're doing everything we can, miss," the firefighter reassured me as he tried to guide me to the ambulance. "Now if you'll just come this way—"

I yanked myself out of his grasp, feeling slightly wobbly. "NO! GO BACK AND TRY HARDER! TOBY IS ONLY _ONE!" _

The firefighter beckoned to someone behind me, telling them to come closer. "Detectives, can you please take her to the ambulance to get her checked out?"

"Sure thing. We got her."

I felt a reassuring hand on the small of my back and another on my shoulder. Turning, I saw that Kevin and Javier were standing on either side of me, supporting me.

"Where in the world did you two come from?"

"We heard the call over the radio." Kevin explained gently. "Are you going to be okay to walk over to the ambulance with us? Your legs aren't hurt, are they?"

"My legs are just sore," I told them as I tested my legs out, checking for anything unusual. "But what about Toby? He's over in that taxi—trapped, hurt and scared out of his mind! He _needs _me!"

"The firefighters are doing everything they can to get him out of there as quickly as possible." Javier's tone was just as gentle as Kevin's had been. "I promise you that you can be with him the minute he gets out, but I think that it would give Toby a little peace of mind if he saw that _you _were okay. Grace and Gabriella are the same way when they see and Lanie if she sees one of us upset."

Javier had a point there because Grace and Bella have both been known to get extremely protective of him and Lanie when they're upset, and my son behaves the exact same way with Ashley and me, especially if one of us is feeling sick. He puts other people's well-being before his own.

I took a few steps towards the ambulance, but had to stop suddenly when my stomach did a ridiculously huge flip and I puked in the street gutter, narrowly missing all of our shoes. Not sure which of my friends was holding back my hair and rubbing soothing circles on my back, I accepted the help as they gave it but when I finally stopped throwing up my breakfast in public, I knew that guys were thinking the same thing I was. Kevin approached the topic first.

"Alexis, do you think that there's a chance that you could be pregnant right now?"

I nodded but then stopped because it hurt as bad as a hangover. "Definitely, but I haven't had a chance to even confirm it yet… damn, I feel awful…"

Much to my dismay, my stomach rolled again and I threw up even more before. After that, I started feeling dizzy, like I was going to faint, and that's exactly what happened about ten seconds later.

When I came to, I was very surprised to see that more time had passed than my body had gauged because when I assessed my surroundings, I saw that I was in the hospital and that someone had swapped out my regular clothes for a hospital-issued paper gown.

"What's going on?" my voice was groggy as I sat up. "How did I get here?"

"You were in an accident, Alexis. You and Toby both."

I sat up even further and saw that I was talking to Emily Ryan. My heart skipped a beat for a few reasons, beginning with remembering the accident.

"Oh, my God! Where is Toby? The last I knew, he was trapped in a taxi with a badly injured leg!"

"Shh." My friend soothed in a motherly tone as she smoothed my hair back so it was out of my eyes. "Toby is in surgery at the moment, and Thomas is currently repairing your boy's broken leg."

"_What?" _I reached out for her hand to hold, and she gave it to me, not even flinching when I squeezed it a little harder than I had intended. "Toby got hurt so badly that he needs to have _surgery? _He's just a _toddler!" _

"You know that my husband is the best at what he does."

"He's one of the top five pediatric surgeons in the country," I recalled.

"That's right. Now—you've been out for a half hour, and Toby was taken to surgery the second the ambulance arrived here. He's in great hands, and he'll be out and resting in your arms before you know it."

I was comforted by this, but only for a moment because a new thought crossed my mind. "What about Ashley? I haven't called him yet and we just dropped him off at the train station because he has to go to _New Jersey!" _

"Molly and Seamus have been notified about the accident, and they've gone to the station to collect him because he's catching the first train back here, so you don't have to worry about it."

"What about my parents and LJ, Jamie, Jed and Joey? What about Gram?"

"They're all going to get here soon, as will everyone else because Amaya and Juliana are in the break room as we speak, making calls."

"Okay." I glanced out of the window and spotted Yoshi and Calvin out in the corridor. "What are the guys doing here?"

"From what I understand, they were having a 'bro day,' or something." (Emily's heavy Australian accent made the phrase 'bro day' sound ten times funnier than it actually was, and I couldn't help giggling) "Making fun of my accent, are you?"

"Absolutely not." I struggled to keep a straight face. "I am doing no such thing."

She just arched her eyebrow at me and changed the subject. "Calvin and Yoshi are practically chomping at the bit to get in here because they're both jockeying for positions to the big protective guy until your own guy gets here, so we'll just get to the next part quickly."

"What next part?" my eyes fell on my wrist, which had been set in the kind of brace used for sprains. "It looks like someone already took care of that."

"Yes, you have a sprained wrist, Alexis, and we'll talk about that later, but I was talking more about your baby."

My stomach bottomed out in surprise and I let go of her hand to rest my own on my midriff.

"M-my baby? I'm pregnant, Emily?"

"Yes, you are." She nodded. "I performed an emergency ultrasound on you when you were brought in and saw that the fetus is eight weeks old. Did you know or at least suspect?"

"I started suspecting the day before yesterday but I didn't have a chance to confirm anything yet."

"What's kept you?"

"Toby's cold, for one thing. He's had it for awhile and it's been driving him up the wall. Ashley and I have been pampering him nonstop. We've also been unpacking boxes from the move and I was finishing up an article for a column I write for. I haven't had much time for myself…"

"Then would you like some good news?"

"I would like that very much."

"Your baby is a fighter, just like you are—it survived the accident and is very healthy and strong."

Tears began to flood my eyes yet again, and this time I cried because I was feeling a whole range of emotions that had been brought on because of the morning's events.

"Would you like me to go get the guys now?"

I could only nod in response.

Emily left the room and about two seconds later, Yoshi and Calvin were both in my room, trying to comfort me. Calvin got as far as offering me some tissues from a tissue box on my bedside table, but in a surprising move, it was Yoshi who sat on my bed with me so I could have a shoulder to cry on. He made soothing noises like he does with his younger siblings or Bella and Grace when they're crying about something, but deep down inside it made me happy because just him doing that showed me that he's come a long way since we first met him in the fall. Back then, he wouldn't have considered doing that because of his dislike for making physical human contact. Yoshi comforting me goes to show that times can change and people can grow from those experiences.

Those of my friends and family who could manage it came to stop by for a visit to check on me, and they all breathed sighs of relief with me when Tobias was brought straight to my room and put into my arms right after his operation. Yes, he was on some pretty strong knock-out drugs and sleeping them off, but I was mostly thankful that that he'd made it through the surgery without any complications whatsoever.

Tobias didn't wake up until after everyone had gone, once Emily had cleared them out, saying that I needed some rest.

"Mama?" he gave a huge yawn as he stretched out, similar to how he probably did when he was growing in my womb. "Hadded bad dreams."

"Well, you don't have to worry anymore because you're safe, and so am I."

He studied our surroundings. "Not home."

"We were in an accident."

"Gots owies?"

"Yes." I showed him my bandaged wrist. "My owie is right there."

He pressed a tiny feather light kiss to the skin above my brace and gave me a million megawatt smile.

"All better!"

I returned his kiss and laughed when he turned bright red. "Thank you, Squishy. I really needed that."

There was a beat of silence on his part and then: "_Me _owies?"

"I'm afraid so. You broke your leg, and Tío Thomas had to use his fancy tools to fix it."

"Fixin' good t'ing…"

"It is." I agreed, looking into his multi-colored eyes. "Fixing is a _very _good thing, but it also means that we're going to have to stay in the hospital until the doctors tell us we can go back to our house."

Tobias gave a disappointed sigh and snuggled closer to me, unintentionally moving closer to the baby, too.

"Where daddy? Miss him."

Right at that moment, my phone—this had been recovered from the damaged taxi, among a few other things—chimed at me, indicating a new text. I picked it up and read the waiting message. My heart melted when I saw that it was from my fiancé.

'_Hey, beautiful! I'm so sorry that I haven't been to talk sooner. I caught the first train back, and it was late. -_- I met up with my parents when I got back, but then I thought I lost my phone! (Lady Luck has not been kind to either one of us this morning) I only just found it at the bottom of my bag. Anyway… my parents just dropped me off at the hospital, but they both have to go back to work :( As for me, I'll be up in a few. Boarding the elevator now.' _

I put the phone back and looked to Tobias to tell him what was going on, but saw that he was lost in his own world, dozing off again, so I let him go and wondered about how to tell Ashley when he came in that we'd been successful in making a sibling for our son.

It was a minute before I realize that Ashley had arrived because when I saw him, he was frozen in the doorway, looking like he was a million miles away. Then it hit me—he was remembering back to when his little brother Tobias had been in the hospital and passed away.

Realizing this, I gently shook Tobias awake, feeling a little bad about it.

"Hey, Squishy—it's time to wake up again."

"No!" came the grumpy reply. "Sleepy!"

"But daddy's here now."

Tobias' grumpy demeanor evaporated in a heartbeat and I helped him to sit up so he could see Ashley.

"Daddy, daddy!" Tobias held his hands out, beckoning. "Come, come!"

My fiancé snapped out of his reverie and smiled at our son as he approached. "Hey, Toby. Have you been taken care of mama while I was gone?"

Tobias nodded seriously and then pointed out his injuries as well my own. "Lotsa lotsa owies, daddy. No like."

Ashley sat next to him. "Yeah, owies aren't cool, are they?"

"No way."

"May I hold you while I talk to mama?"

"Ca'efu' owies."  
"I'll be super careful, don't worry."

Visibly relieved, Tobias let Ashley hold him and when he felt settled, he went right back to sleeping. Thomas had warned me earlier that the painkillers Tobias was on would make him extra sleepy, meaning that we would just have to roll with it for awhile. Ashley seemed to understand this because he didn't say anything about it, instead turning his full attention to me and kissing me full on the lips. We both needed the reassurance.

It wasn't even two in the afternoon yet, and I thought I'd cried all that I could, but yet more tears when I told him everything I knew about mine and Tobias' injuries thus far, practically wearing myself out.

"And of course, with Toby having had surgery and me having fainted, that means that we're going to have stay overnight, all in all meaning that we're going to have ridiculously huge bills! It's not like we can't afford any of the bills because we definitely can, but we also have the apartment to pay for! What are we going to do?"

"I'll think of something, Lex. Don't worry about it."

"Okay, but don't go begging people. We can't be teaching Toby things like that because I'm a Castle and you're a Kerrigan. He shouldn't have to know about begging for things when his mama and daddy can pay for them."

"I'll give you that one."

"Everything has to be put on a backburner for a minute because there's one more thing that we have to talk about right now."

He immediately became concerned and held my hand as he kept an arm around Tobias to keep him from falling off the bed.

"What is it? What's going on?"

I put his hand on top of my belly. "There's a baby in there."

Ashley's face lit up in joy and gave me the kind of kiss that had us both gasping for air in a matter of minutes. When we pulled apart, he rested his forehead against mine and kept his hand on my belly, giving it a gentle rub.

"We're going to be parents again?"

"Uh-huh. Are you happy about this?"

"Of _course _I am. We're adding onto our family, just like we planned, and Toby is going to lose his mind with joy when he finds out."

"That's true, and he'll probably talk himself hoarse, but let's keep it to ourselves until I'm out of the first trimester."

"Good idea."

"I can't believe that I was able to keep it from just about everyone who came in for a visit."

"Wait—what do you mean, 'just about everyone,' and how far along _are _you?"

"I'm eight weeks, which means that we made this kid on the night we moved into the apartment."

"Damn, we're awesome."

I tweaked his nose playfully. "Focus, and stay on topic!"

"Right." He kissed my hand again. "You're eight weeks pregnant, so that means you're two months now."

"Bingo, and as for the people who actually know, that amounts to Emily, Juliana and Amaya. Kevin and Javier guessed, but they don't actually _know." _

"When are we going to tell our parents?"

"I don't even know about that right now."  
"Need I point out that both of our mothers are bound to notice your condition pretty quickly, especially since Kate just had twins?"

I shuddered at that. "My body can't handle more than one baby at once, but maybe I wouldn't be so worried about that in the future when we add onto our family again."

"I want more kids, too—don't get me wrong, but we just found out that you're pregnant. This has been on your mind for awhile?"

"It has, but we shouldn't have any more until after Toby and his little sib, Tiny," I tapped my belly for emphasis, noticing that it had a slight swell, the start of a baby bump. "Are a _lot _bigger, like the middle of elementary school, just to be safe. They're not going to be that far apart, so they're pretty much going to be doing everything at the same time."

"Or Tiny will just be catching up to Toby… We're going to have our hands full…"

We both stopped talking for a few minutes, lost in our own thoughts, but Ashley still voiced his thoughts first.

"Alexis, we should get married."

I was taken aback by this and waved my left fingers at him, the boring but bright lights from overhead bouncing off the jewels on my ring. "Babe, I believe that this piece of jewelry already says that we are."

"I know that, but I meant that we should get married _tonight." _

…His idea had merit…

"You're not just saying this because I'm pregnant, are you?"

"Absolutely not." He promised. "I'm saying it because I _love _you, I want to be your husband and spend the rest of my life with you. I'm also looking out for the kids because I want them to have the best and most _secure _childhoods, beginning with both of them knowing their parents are married to each other. It would also be pretty good if they never had a reason to question what their last names are."

"Touché, but what about our parents?" my eyes widened as another thought hit me. "What about _Jessica Rose _and _Melissa? _They are going to _kill _us when they find out that we had our wedding without them."

He shrugged. "They snooze, they lose."

"Agreed, but again—what about our parents?"

"We can tell them tomorrow, but for now, let's get married."

My fiancé's words registered with me, but instead of answering him, I leaned towards Tobias to wake him up again, but Ashley put a hand on my arm, stopping me.

"What are you doing?"

"Waking our boy up to tell him that his parents are getting married. Even if he's doped up on pain medication and he's a year-and-a-half years old, he's not going to forgive us if he finds out when he's older that he slept through the whole thing."

"That's true." Ashley agreed and let me go. "Wake him up."

I bent back down towards my son. "Hey, Toby—wakey, wakey!"

He swatted an arm at me, still sleeping. "Not now!"

(…My son is _totally _going to be the kid begging me for five more minutes when he's a teenager…)

"What if I said to you that me and daddy are getting married today?"

Tobias heard and understood these words because he woke up and stretched out the best he could in Ashley's arms.

"Weddin' time?"

"That's right." I tapped the tip of his nose with a finger. "Daddy and I are getting married right here in the hospital!"

(I mean, really—it went without saying that even though we hadn't discussed it thoroughly, our wedding was going to take place in the hospital chapel)

"Wow! Happy, happy, happy!"

Tobias clapped his hands together happily and I was just about to respond to him when there was a knock on the door. Ashley called out for the person to enter, but imagine our surprise when we saw Emily, Thomas, Juliana and even Raja and baby Dash. But then I saw that the Ryans were all dressed to go home and that Juliana and Raja (the latter of whose presence I didn't question) were both looking like the were settling in for the night.

Of course, Tobias began talking before the newcomers could explain themselves.

"Weddin' time!"

Raja was the first to respond as he ran to my bed. "Lexie, you're getting married to Ashley today?"

"That's the plan, buddy."

He gave a huge sigh of relief that was kind of comical. "_Finally!" _

Ashley laughed at this. "Why do you say it like that?"

"The first time that I met your almost-wife, she told me that I could be part of her wedding." (Emily and Thomas were watching our exchange with lots of interest, the look on Juliana's face told me that she was remembering the conversation that Raja was talking about) "I can't wait _forever _for you two to have a wedding, Ashley! I don't want me and Toby to be _old _when it happens!"

Emily seized control of the situation before Raja could take us all any further down a rabbit trail.

"Thomas and I stopped by to tell you that our shifts are done and that we're handing the case to Juliana until tomorrow, but what's this about a wedding now?"

I chose my words very carefully, so as not to give away my pregnancy. "We've decided that for the sake of our family, we're getting married in the hospital chapel. Today."

"Speaking of which," Ashley put in, looking towards the other adults in the room. "Do any of you know if the minister is here?"

Emily checked the time on her watch before answering. "Father Alexander should be finishing up his Bible study he does with the more terminally ill patients right now. He always likes to stick around for at least a half hour afterwards, to pray with people. We can catch him, easy."

Thomas became confused at this point. "I thought we were leaving…"

His wife set her bags down. "We're not. We're going to help our friends get married."

"But—"

"No 'buts' on this one, and don't you dare argue with me, lest I remind you of the circumstances of _our _wedding."

Whatever it is that Emily was talking about, Thomas decided to cooperate with her because he took Dash from her and then stayed out of her way when she sat down in the rocking chair and began sorting through her bags, talking to herself.

Touched by her willingness to help us out, Ashley and I didn't question her. Juliana was nearby, sprucing up the wagon that had been used to transport Tobias from the operating room over to my room.

"Are you on board with us?" I asked her. "It's okay if you're not. We'll understand."

"I'm totally onboard with it." She moved from the wagon to pulling out a folding wheelchair from the closet and assembling it properly. "I have my reasons, but they're not for sharing right now. Another time, perhaps."

I let her help me out of bed and into the wheelchair. "Fair enough, but at least tell me how long you and Jalil have been married."

"The sixteenth of August makes twenty extraordinary years."

Just as I was about to congratulate her, Emily jumped up from her chair and walked up to me, laying two things in my lap—her favorite dark blue hoodie with a picture of Central Park on the back, and a piece of paper that Ashley and I had recently given her during one of her more harder days recently and it said '_We hope to be just as brilliant as you are one day! From Alexis and Ashley.' _

"What are these, Emily?"

"The hoodie is your 'something old,' 'something borrowed,' and 'something blue,' because it was a gift from my mum and dad about six years ago. The note serves as the 'something new' because you and Ashley gave it to me a week ago."

I put the note in the hoodie pocket. "And you're doing this because I'm getting married…"

"Exactly." She beamed as she helped me put on the hoodie, all the while being mindful of my sprained wrist. "You don't have to skip out on all the traditions."

"And this," Thomas presented Ashley with a boutonnière made from a few flowers among my many bouquets. "Is for you, sir, because you shouldn't have to skip out on any traditions, either."

Ashley accepted it and tucked it into a buttonhole on his jacket.

"Everybody ready to go?" Emily asked as she helped Tobias get comfortable in his wagon.

There was a general murmur of agreement, but Raja quickly interjected. "Wait! What am _I _supposed to do?"

"Raja," I spoke sweetly to him. "You get a pretty big job today. Do you think you can handle it?"

"Of course!"

"You get to keep an eye on Toby while everything is going on. We also need you to keep him awake because he's going to be bummed out if he sleeps through all of it."

"I can keep an eye on him! That'll be my wedding present to you and Ashley!"

I smiled at him and tried to keep from laughing when his knees buckled. "Thank you so much, sweetie."

Raja responded, but turned his attention to Tobias, making him laugh by starting a rousing game of peek-a-boo with him, something that Tobias just loves to play. Once Emily saw that we were all ready to go, we left the room and headed to the elevator to take to the chapel floor. Father Alexander was a very pleasant older Hispanic man who was more than happy to perform the wedding ceremony for us once Ashley and I had a word with him in private about it.

The ceremony itself was a blur to me because I was pretty tired by the end of it, even if I was in the wheelchair, but all I knew was that Ashley and I were _married, _officially making me Alexis Katherine Kerrigan.

The first thing he did as my husband was lift me from the chair and tuck me back into bed, telling me to not worry about Tobias for awhile. When I was comfortable, he climbed in behind me, pulling flush against his body so that we were spooning.

"I love you, Mrs Kerrigan." He murmured, kissing only my cheek because he knew that I was too tired from all of the morning's events to turn around, even though it was the middle of the afternoon.

"And I love you, Mr Kerrigan." I all but whispered back. "Always and forever."

"Sleep love." His hand found its way to the baby bump and he rested a hand on it, the same way he did during my first pregnancy. "Sleep for as long as you want, and I'll be here when you wake up. I promise."

"Okay…"

Huh. All in half a day, I went from feeling sick and surviving an accident that could have had the potential to kill me, to recovering from said accident while jumping for joy (figuratively because I was too exhausted to really do it) about a much wanted pregnancy and to then getting married to the man of my dreams.

And even though my wedding wasn't at all like how I'd imagined it as a little girl fantasizing about all of the fun things I would get to do as a grown-up, it didn't really matter to me because it was all official, and nothing could dispute that because we even had the paperwork to prove it, and Ashley is going to file it at City Hall tomorrow.

(Our parents are going to find out about the ceremony eventually, but we'll just deal with that when it comes up. No use in fretting right now…)

Maybe this means that Mondays aren't so bad after all.

**What do you think? Good first chapter?**


	2. Trouble Starts Brewing

**This author's current whereabouts: travelling through many a flowerbed, looking for Writer200 and wishing her well.**

_April 20 _

_Somewhere in Manhattan _

_Jessica's Point of View _

Well… Melissa and I have officially completed the complicated and somewhat daunting tasks of rescuing Jeffery and Sophia, as well as finding the Dragon so I could get a divorce from him, allowing me to _finally _be free to love Yoshi without the burden of an awful marriage hanging over my head.

Right now, it's just the matter of getting back home.

I have to completely depend on Melissa to get me there, though, because my eyesight has gone from bad to completely worse because the special glasses that Abuela Ophelia had bought for me to help me with my blindness had been smashed to smithereens. My vision isn't dark, but it's gone incredibly hazy and I can just make shapes out, but I've definitely lost the ability to discern any particular details. Melissa is well aware of this, and she acts as my eyes. I appreciate that.

There's also the part where I'm heavily pregnant now, and it feels like I'm six months along… but I don't really know. I was able to gauge it when I was pregnant with Gabriella, but this time around, it just feels weird. (But I think that it's because I've gotten so used to living with my parents that after being out on the streets again, my body and sense of time have been really out of whack) I haven't been to a doctor yet, for a few different reasons, so I don't know the gender of my child yet, but this kid just loves to turn somersaults and stretch out. In fact, he's done everything except kick me. I'm still waiting for that to happen…

I also have to depend on Melissa to actually _get _us home because I long ago lost all sense of direction and no longer have no idea where we are, but it doesn't help much that Melissa is becoming increasingly skittish because she says that we're getting closer and closer to Westies territory. Of course, Melissa won't tell me why she's acting so weird, but whatever it is, it's got her jumping at every little sound and now we're travelling by alleyway instead of by sidewalk, which would make things go a lot faster.

But at least we've stopped to sit on some upturned crates and lean against the alley wall for a few minutes. I'm tired and the baby growing inside of me is heavier and more fidgety than my Gabriella was by a long shot.

"Melissa, what's the matter with you? What is it about the Westies that's go you so freaked out? Is it that they're dangerous?"

Her warm and somewhat thick Australian accent made me feel relaxed almost immediately. "No, surprisingly. The danger factor doesn't really freak me out, and I'll hide you if I have to because I don't want you or the baby to get hurt, and besides—Yoshi would kill me slowly if anything happened to either one of you."

"I have no doubt that Kiyoshi would do anything for me, especially to protect me, the baby or Bella," my unborn child stretched out inside me and I gave my belly a little rub when I felt the heel of a foot press up against my palm in response to the contact. "But enough with beating around the bush, okay? Even the baby wants to know what's got his Tía Missy so worked up."

"Excuse me, Jessica Rose? _His _Tía Missy? You could actually be growing a baby girl in there! She could come out _really _confused because she was referred to as a boy for nine months!"

"It's a mothering thing, and you'll understand when _you're _pregnant." (Even though I couldn't see her in what I was sure was early evening gloom, I just knew that she was blushing furiously) "Now hurry up and tell me what it is about the Westies that worries you so much."

"It was them who killed my parents and attacked me that night in the park."

"Oh." I answered lamely, feeling like an idiot for forgetting that. "You said that we're close to their turf now, so do you have a plan for if we get caught? I mean, they went after your parents and they hurt you pretty badly."

"I haven't gotten as far as what's going to happen if they recognize me, but they can't know that I'm a Queller, and they certainly can't know that you're an Esposito."

"Why the hell not?"

"They just can't, okay? I don't have all night to explain this one!" Melissa sounded a little persnickety, so I let her keep talking. "If we're caught, you tell them that your name is Neve O'Connor, all right?"

"I'm not Irish—at _all—_but Neve O'Connor is an extremely Irish name if I ever heard one…"

"Do you understand that that's the name you go by if they catch us?"

"Yes, but what's _your _alias, then? Something tells me that it's more important that _you _aren't recognized."

"My name will be Mairéad Finnegan."

"Mairéad…" I tried out. "That's a really pretty name. How is it spelled?"

"M-a-i-r-é-a-d, and the trick I had to learn the first time I saw it written down was that it's like saying the word 'parade,' but instead of a p, there's an m."

"Was there someone in your family with that name?"

"Oh, yes, and she came right from—what's wrong?"

I'd cut off her in the middle of a sentence, grimacing and put a hand to my belly again, right were the baby was moving around, but the next moment, I was giggling like I was a little again.

"My little boy is kicking me, actually _kicking _me for the first time!" I told her eagerly. "He's kind of a late bloomer, but… give me your hand, Melissa."

She gave it to me and I put her hand on the spot where the baby was moving. We both laughed when the baby started kicking up a storm when he had a new way to make his presence known to me. He got in a few good kicks, but when Melissa began talking to him, he started delivering lots of strong punches, too. There's no doubt that my baby is active, but my number one prayer and hope is that he's healthy.

"That's my little guy saying hello to you. I just…"

(One thing that's been really different between this pregnancy and my first one is that my emotions have been on a very long emotional rollercoaster. I know that loopy emotions and hormones are to be expected with my condition, but now, my emotions are _still _on a serious rollercoaster when I should have a handle on it by this stage, meaning that I can cry at the drop of a hat now because lots of little things can set me off. It's kinds of embarrassing, but bless Melissa's heart tenfold because she's learned to put up with it)

"But you just wish that Yoshi was here to feel the baby move, don't you?"

Tears poured down my face as I nodded. "Melissa, he's practically my husband. I'm sure that he's taking really good care of Gabriella and getting along well with my family, but I need to be with him because I _know _that he'd be excited about all of this! Yoshi doesn't even know he's going to be a daddy, but I know him well enough to know that once he got over the shock of it all, he'd be as happy as I am about this baby and want it as much as I do."

(During mine and Yoshi's last phone conversation before I left and later on during the brief time we spent together after making the baby, he held me close and told me that no matter the outcome of our sexual encounter, he was in it all with me for the long haul not because he felt that he was obligated to be, but because he _wanted _to be and was _choosing _to be because he loves me and Gabriella very much. Yoshi even told me that he really wants to be the father figure to my daughter that she's never had. I turned into a puddle of goo after that because although I've been with lots of guys in the past and I'm the first person that Yoshi has _ever _been with, he's been the first guy who makes me feel secure in every way possible, especially with my emotions. (I know without a doubt that I do the same for him, and it makes me feel lighter than air when I think about it) When he was done telling me those things and we were done making promises to each other that basically sounded like wedding vows, I started weeping because of how overcome with emotion I was, and he just held me closer and made soothing noises the whole time. (I think he was crying, too) I think that it went without saying for either one of us that that was the moment—other than when he made that joke about me never being able to get rid of him because of how I have his blood in me, thanks to the blood transfusion—when we both knew that we were going to be in each other's lives for good)

"I'm so happy for you that Yoshi is in your life." Melissa gave a happy sigh, thus bringing me back to reality. "We all know that your first meeting was a little out of the ordinary because it was a matter of life or death at the time, and we all know that the relationship you two have is the epitome of a whirlwind romance, but it works out because you two complete each other, Jessica Rose."

I felt myself blushing a little. "It means the world to me to know that you like him, but you, Alexis, and even Ashley and Calvin all told me that awhile ago, plus you dictated a love letter from me to Yoshi. Why haven't you ever said anything about how fast things have gone? Most people would…"

"I'm not like most people because my mum taught me to always love," (Even though I couldn't see Melissa, she sounded like she was fighting some deep dark feeling inside herself) "But do you really want to know?"

"As long as we can find food and/or a _real _shelter soon, yes, I would like to know exactly why the idea of a whirlwind romance doesn't bother you."

"It's because my parents met right here in Manhattan through a marriage that was arranged by _their _parents. My mum came from a poor immigrant family—the Thompsons of Surry Hilly, Sydney—but the Quellers were a little better off because they'd been in America for a generation already."

"So Lucy married into the Queller family to save her own from dying out financially?"

"That's right, and her parents especially liked that my dad's parents were from Ireland."

"Irish blood runs deep in your veins, then." I remarked, thinking vaguely of my Puerto Rican and African-American roots. "That's pretty cool."

I practically heard the smile in her voice. "Mum's parents were also from Ireland, and they were the first on the Thompson side to leave after having been there for heaps and heaps of generations. They left for Cape Town, South Africa after that."

"_South Africa?" _I echoed.

"Yep. I don't know why, though. It was never explained."

"But they didn't stay there, I gather."

"They didn't." she confirmed. "They had mum's older sister, my old Auntie Adelaide, when they were there, but they left after eight years before going to Sydney, Australia for a few years before immigrating here. As Auntie Adelaide told it, their mother was really pregnant when they came here. Lucy Rose Queller—my mum was born three months later. She was literally the first American born in her family, but she never lost her Australian accent."

"That's a nice family story, Missy," I smiled in her direction. "But getting back to _your _parents now—how old were they when they met, and how long did they know each other before tying the knot?"

"They were both fourteen and met on New Year's Day of a year I don't recall, and they were married by that September, just after they were fifteen."

I quickly did the math in my head. "That's only nine months!"

"It is, but my parents told us on separate occasions that they made their marriage last so well and for so long when they started out as teenagers because they had been lucky enough to become best friends on the first day that they met."

"That's how Yoshi and I have been." I mused. "Do we remind you of your parents in that regard?"

"Very much so. I'm the youngest Queller child, but I've heard stories of how my parents went through a lot, especially with having four kids before they were twenty—"

"_What?" _

"Madison is a triplet and Emily was born when they were three. My parents came from very traditional families that insisted they have kids early because that was the way it had always been on the Thompson side, _and _the Queller side."

"Lucy and Elijah were fine with having kids that early?"

"Yeah, but mum told me a few years back on our birthday that she and dad both decided that they were going to be the last ones to carry on that particular tradition because they wanted us to do what we wanted. Are you quite finished interrupting now?"

I nodded so she continued. "Mum and dad experienced lots of hard times, especially towards the end of their lives, but they made it through because they had had each other to lean on, and from the day they met and up to the day they died, they were best friends."

"Yoshi and I have known each other a shorter time than Elijah and Lucy before they got married. Do you think that he and I are going to make it, Melissa?"

"Absolutely, without a single doubt." She got off her crate and helped me to my feet. "Do you feel up to walking now?"

I nodded again and held onto her hand—so we wouldn't get separated—and started walking with her.

"Other than being near Westies territory, I don't really know because it's dark now and I'm not sure that I've been to this part of the city before."

"Great…" I mumbled.

"Don't worry, Jess—I'll find us a place before long."

True to her word, and probably on a stroke of luck, Melissa found us a women's shelter after only fifteen minutes of walking down the city block. We were pretty thrilled to find that we were in the Forty-Second Street area in Hell's Kitchen because it meant that we were a lot closer to home than we had been the last time we looked at a map or a sign.

Within a few minutes of arriving, Melissa and I were directed to the shower facilities so we could take hot showers and we were also given new clothes to wear. (I was particularly happy about this because my belly was pretty big and almost to the point of hanging out from under my shirt. Even if my new clothes were second hand, I'd never been so happy to have maternity clothes because I never had any when I was pregnant with Gabriella) After that, we were also taken to the on-site doctor, and it was there that I was finally able to get an ultrasound done to check on my baby's condition, and I almost fainted with relief to hear that despite me having been on the streets for so much of the pregnancy that everything was checking out pretty well and the baby was healthy and even growing right on schedule.

To top it all off, I was filled with all kinds of joy to see that I had been right about the gender of the baby. I'm having a little _boy! _

After dinner, Melissa and I were shown to our room—it was described to me as a college dorm room with a mini kitchenette thrown in—and we learned that we had a roommate.

Melissa sat down at the little table where the girl was, and I turned down her help because I wanted to do it myself, so I felt my way over and got myself settled in a chair before speaking.

(I couldn't quite see her because of my hazy vision, but I could still focus on her general sheet)

"Hello," I greeted her in a friendly manner. "My name is Jessica, and my friend's name is Melissa. We're going to be your roommates for a few days until we can get back on our feet. I hope you don't mind."

The girl made a motion like shrugging, but I couldn't be sure. Melissa realized this and spoke to her for me.

"Jessica is a bit blind," (that's putting it mildly) "So she can't really see either one of us. Verbal answers would be best."

The girl turned in my direction and when she spoke, she sounded like she was trying her hardest to sound as positive as she could after having ruminated on something sad for a long time in silence.

"I don't mind at all. Where are you two from?"

"We're from around Midtown."

I couldn't see her, but the sound of her voice told me that she was raising an eyebrow. "Jessica, we're in a poorer part of Manhattan and I saw you both when you came in. From the state of your appearances then, and also factoring in the size of your belly, that shows that you two have been away from this area for quite awhile. Why are you coming back from where you ran from? I sure as hell won't go back to where _I _wan from, _ever." _

"It's complicated, but long story short—Melissa and I left to do something to ensure the safety of our families, we've completed all there was to do, and now we're on our way home. Our business took us all the way up to Washington Heights."

"That's pretty far from here." She remarked. "How long have you been gone?"

"Since October."

"And you're just now getting back?"

"I told you, mija—it's complicated."

Our companion laughed a little, like she was amused by something, so I called her on it.

"What are you laughing about? Something I said?"

"It's that you called me 'mija.' I haven't been given a term of endearment in I don't know _how _long."

Melissa jumped in at this point. "You know our names, but what's yours?"

"I'm called Twitchy."

"Come now—that can't really be your name. What's the name that your parents gave you?"

"I don't really know." Twitchy answered. "I really don't."

"Why's that?"

"Because I've been in the state system for my entire life and at the countryside group home I lived in until I ran away, the caretakers told me that a good Samaritan brought me in after finding me out in the middle of nowhere, and even _they _didn't give me a name."

"Fair enough." Melissa said neutrally. "How old are you?"

"Again, I don't really know. Fourteen, fifteen or sixteen is my best guess."

"Where is the group home are you came from?"

Her answer was vague. "In the countryside, I said."

There was a sudden pause in the conversation that made me long for the Land of the Sighted because I could tell that Twitchy and Melissa were having a conversation with just their eyes, even though they'd only just met. Finally, Melissa turned to me and spoke.

"Jess, I think that you should talk to Twitchy… or whatever her name _really _is."

"Why's that?"

"She's carrying precious cargo, too."

I heard her chair scrape against her the floor as she got to her feet.

"Where are you going?"

"To take a walk. I'm not a mum yet, so I think that it would be better if you two had the room so you can speak about things, from one mum to another. Don't wandering."

"I won't, mama." (Sometimes I call her that as a term of endearment. I do it with Alexis, too) "Just go ahead and go already!"

She laughed, seeing that I was acting like a little kid shooing a parent away, and exited the room, shutting the door behind her. I turned back to continue my chat with Twitchy, but she was getting up, so I followed the sound of her footsteps, feeling my way over and stopping when I came into contact with a piece of furniture that felt like a couch. Still wanting to do things without help, I sat down in the empty space next to her. I also started massaging the lower part of my belly to soothe my restless baby.

"Melissa said that you're pregnant, Twitchy."

"You're pregnant, too, Jessica."

"You go first."

"Fine." She gave an angry huff but still sounded sad. "According to the doctor, I'm just shy of nine months now. It's a girl, and she _seriously _loves to kick me and do the splits."

"Baby girls are fun. I have a daughter, but she's not a baby—she turned six in January."

"Where is your daughter now?"

"Back home, with my folks. I can't begin to tell you how much I miss her."

"What about her dad?"

"Gabriella's bio dad doesn't matter anymore." I answered stiffly as I fought to keep back memories of the night my firstborn had been conceived. "They've never met, and they don't need to. I'm never going to give Gabriella a reason to ask about him."

"May I ask you another question?"

"Of course."

"What made you decide to keep Gabriella? I mean, you don't look all that much older than me, so you had to have been a teenager when you had her."

"I was fifteen and homeless."

"Then why did you keep her? You had other options. Most pregnant women in the United States do…"

"True, but one could say that my baby girl was my salvation because knowing that she was in there meant that I had a very good reason to get myself cleaned up."

"Did you do drugs, or something?"

"No drugs, but I fell into the 'or something' category, starting with when my sight went when I was a kid. I believe the accurate phrase to describe those years is 'wild child,' and it wasn't pretty at all."

"But it also sounds like Gabriella was your _motivation _to be a better person."

"She was and still is because one of my first thoughts after finding out that she was on the way was that she was _mine. _Another thought was that I was never going to let the wrong kind of person take her away from me because for the first time since I was about seven, I didn't feel so alone in the world."

"Where were your parents?"

I shrugged and started tracing shapes on my belly, knowing that the baby would start following the movements, like we were playing a game. "In the Bronx or Manhattan, I suppose. They were teenagers when they had me, and after lots and lots of drama with one of my abuelas, my parents put me into foster care when I was a newborn because they had accepted reality—they were barely scraping by and they didn't have enough money to provide for me, especially since my mom was looking into medical school and my dad was looking into the police academy and the Army. They told me once that they did it because they didn't want me to grow up poor like they did. My parents gave me up because they thought that it would give me a shot at having a better life."

"_Did _you have a better life?"

"For awhile, but I made it through, found my parents and even helped bring them back together after they had drifted apart for far too many years, and I'm pretty damn sure I'm close to finally having my happily ever after.

"Are you engaged to someone?"

"No, and I just got a divorce from the man I _was _married to. All of that aside, though, I found my happily ever after with the guy who is _this _baby's father."

I gave my belly a fond pat and then laughed when the baby responded by rolling both elbows across the surface.

"How far along are you?"

"Six months, and I just found out today that it's a boy. I can't wait to get back home to see his daddy and Gabriella, too. I'm sure that once parents and friends find out about him, they're all going to be wanting to plan a baby shower and start suggesting ideas for a nursery, too."

"It sounds like you have a good family and lots of friends…"

"I do, Twitchy, and I am blessed. May _I _ask _you _a question?"

"Go for it."

"Why are you so curious about my life?"

"Because I'm trying to figure out what to do about _my _baby. I realized that she was there after it was too late to get an abortion."

"And you came to love your daughter since then?"

"Very much, but I bounce around so much that I'll never be able to provide for her. I don't want her to have that kind of life—no offense meant, though, Jessica. It sounds like you've managed pretty well with Gabriella so far, and I'm sure that your son is going to be just as lucky and as happy as his big sister."

"No offense taken, and thank you for those kind words about my children."

I paused for a second, trying to get comfortable as I thought of how to phrase my next words.

"I have an idea for you that I think you're going to like."

Twitchy suddenly sounded apprehensive. "Is it going to cost me something?"

"Just your name—"

"I _said _I'm called Twitchy!" the young woman interrupted. "I got that nickname because of a nervous twitch I developed when I was growing up!"

"Have you ever given _yourself _some kind of name over the years?" (I kept calm because I had a strong feeling that her child must be doing jumping jacks inside her in reaction to her hostility. If I was calm, that might eventually make Twitchy and her daughter feel calm again) "There's got to be some point in your life where you were known by something besides just 'Twitchy,' and I bet that it was a really pretty name, too."

"Destiny." She said after a brief moment. "I call myself Destiny, and you can, too. I like it more than Twitchy, anyway."

"See? Now _there's _a pretty name."

She didn't really care. "Okay, so now you know who I am—what was it that you were going to tell me?"

I fished two little slips of cardstock from my pocket that I'd saved from the pockets of my old outfit and put them into Destiny's hands.

"These are business cards." She stated blankly.

"See the names on them?"

"Yeah. They say 'Detective Javier Esposito' and 'Delaney Parish Esposito, Medical Examiner.' There's contact information, too."

"Javier and Delaney are my parents, and they are the best and kindest and most loving people I've ever known. They're also pretty cool."

"You've totally inherited all of that from them."

I smiled at the compliment. "Look them up when you get into Midtown."

"They would help me out?"

"They would do the best they could for you and your baby—helping you find an adoption agency, and all that."

"Jessica, we barely even know each other. I'm definitely going to give her up, but I'm not going to be able to handle it if I stick around to see her grow up, meaning that I'd have to go right after she's born. Why are you being so nice to me about this? You're a mom, and you kept your first baby."

"I'm being nice because I want to show you that not everybody in this world is a bad person, and everybody, even the littlest baby, deserves a good chance in life. Being a parent is about loving your kids and doing what's best for them… even if it hurts. That's what my mom told me she and dad realized after they gave me up. If you don't want to come with Melissa and me when we leave, then I'll tell my parents all about you, and I'll be waiting for you at the Twelfth Precinct."

All was quiet for a few seconds before I heard a quiet sniffling sound coming from Destiny and I realized that she was crying. It was a few more seconds before she was holding me in a big hug, our big bellies touching.

"Thank you." She whispered. "Thank you so much."

I tightened the hug. "You're welcome."

Our joyful moment was interrupted and made us pull apart when the door to our room banged open loudly and rather suddenly. Melissa hurried in and she sounded pretty freaked out.

"I just heard something really, _really _bad for us, Jessica!"

The baby gave me a huge kick of annoyance when my heart began to race. "What is it? What did you hear?"

"That there's a few new people that have just come in, and now there are more people than there are beds! I heard the director talking with a few officials, and they're going to have to put some people out to make room!"

"Okay, that _is _bad, but I don't think that they'd turn us out. We just got here!"

"Of course they wouldn't turn _you _away! Not only are you _pregnant, _but you're _really _pregnant!"

"But _you _aren't, and you don't really have anything that can earn you a pity card." I realized with a horrible sinking feeling. _"I _do because I'm blind and _seriously _can't see anything in front of me."

"I heard them going through a list of people they're _definitely _kicking out, and _my _name was on it!"

"Maybe there's another Melissa here." I suggested lamely.

"There isn't." Destiny said dryly. "I would know if there was because I've been here for quite awhile."

My heart sank straight into my stomach. "What are we going to do?"

"Jessica, we have to go. _Now, _before lights out!"

"I don't think I can."

Melissa was very taken aback by this and she came to kneel in front of me. "Why not?"

"Because I'm really tired and I need lots of rest. Carrying a baby is the hardest job you'll ever have to do."

"I suppose I've been running you ragged for awhile…"

"I wouldn't use the word 'ragged,' but I've had enough adventure for awhile."

"I don't want to leave you, Jess. You're my friend…"

"Go, Melissa. I'll be safe here, and I'll be home soon."

"There are going to be a lot of people who aren't going to forgive me for coming back without you."

"Namely Gabriella, Yoshi, and my parents..."

"Exactly."

"Tell them I'll be home soon, and don't let Yoshi do anything stupid."

She hesitated. "Are you sure you're going to stay here?"

"Yes. The baby and I are going to be okay."

"All right."

She gave me a hug and gave my belly a pat before standing up and addressing Destiny.

"If you want to come with me, this is your chance."

Destiny sounded sad yet again. "I would if I could, but I really can't. I'm a minor, and they already have really strict rules for pregnant women and girls. I'll figure something out."

"Are _you _sure?"

"One hundred percent, and besides—everybody knows that we're in Westies territory. I don't fancy the idea of getting caught by one of them for trespassing on their turf, and I don't want to risk it. Not in my condition."

Melissa hesitated again, but Destiny and I wouldn't let her have it and spoke in unison.

"Go. _Run." _

That's exactly what Melissa did.


	3. Into the Hornet's Nest

**Friendly reminder: the name Mairéad sounds like the word 'parade,' but with an m.**

_April 20, evening _

_Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan_

_Melissa's Point of View _

It hurt me to leave Jessica in that shelter, and I also found that it hurt just as badly to leave Twitchy, even though I only just met her tonight, but there wasn't enough time to convince either one of them to come with me when they made up their minds to stay, mostly because they didn't want to risk the lives of their unborn children. But I can respect that.

When I got down to the main floor of the shelter, I saw the increase of new people I'd been telling Jessica and Twitchy about, and blended in with them as I worked my way towards the door. Nobody paid any notice to me as I slipped out of the night and started running yet again.

(Of course, it hasn't escaped me that this whole thing would be a lot easier if I had a phone or even some change for a payphone because that means that I could have called for someone I know to come collect Jessica, Twitchy and me, but neither of those options are available to me right now because what money we _did _have has been spent, and it had been Jessica who'd said that it was better to leave our phones at home because the less valuables we had on us, the less chances we had of getting mugged if a robber saw them)

…I know that Jessica finally just told me her secret about having seen Yoshi since we've been gone, but there's a secret that _I've _been keeping pretty much since the first anniversary of my parents' deaths.

It's that I feel as though I've been slipping away from everybody because there's a void in my life where my parents and the love they had for me, their baby girl, had been. I'm never ever going to be able get that back.

I think it has mostly to do with my current living conditions back home.

They're not at all bad, but…

I live with my oldest sister, her husband and their three kids. It's fun, but there are times when it feels to me like I'm intruding. It especially feels that way when last I knew; Madison and Nicolas have been trying for baby number four. Where am I going to go when that baby comes? My bedroom is an ideal space for a nursery.

Kingston, my big brother, is in Chicago right now and has been for at least the last ten years, but I haven't seen him since the funeral. God only knows what _he's _up to.

Of course, Emily hasn't gone anywhere, and I've always been closer to her than I've ever been to Madison or Kingston, but it would be very strange all around if I moved into her place because she's married and _starting _a family. There's also the part where Emily only nine years older than me, whereas Madison is more than a decade older, always making for more of an age gap. Do you see how that's odd?

I haven't forgotten how much Calvin and his parents and sisters all adore me, and I _certainly _haven't forgotten about how Jordan and Rafferty offered to let me move into their house when I get back, so I'm holding onto that idea for now. It's what's been getting me through the long nights when I lay there and wonder what the hell is going on in my life right now and how I should make sense of it.

But even with all of that and with knowing how Calvin would do absolutely anything for me if I asked if of him, it still feels like I'm slipping away from everybody… and the worst part is that ever since I realized during my brief and nightmarish stay in the psych ward that I'm never going to see my parents alive ever again, I've begun to question what love really _is. _

And every single day, even though Calvin has proved himself to be my rock since we first met, I still wonder more and more.

Calvin is well aware of _all _of this, but… I can't seem to stop the wondering and the questioning about the concept of love.

I'm starting to scare myself.

As I pounded the pavement in the darkness and avoid the pedestrians, I eventually started slowing down because I was getting tired and more than anything; I wanted a roof over my head for a few hours, if not the whole night.

(I also wanted to figure out exactly _where _in Hell's Kitchen I was because once I had that part taken care of, I could be on the move and home as early as tomorrow… but then again, I haven't been sure of the proper definition _of _home since… that night)

I've never felt this tired or confused about life, but as mum would say to me, "This too shall pass, Melissa. This too shall pass."

During my run, it had started pouring rain, so I was completely soaked to the bone in a matter of minutes.

Cold, wet, miserable and downright desperate now, I entered the nearest establishment I saw and stood just inside the front entrance, wringing out my hair—which has grown out pretty long since we've been gone—and then I started to wonder how I was going to get my clothes dry or how I was going to even make an excuse to stay here, while I was absolutely flat broke, when a loud male voice, heavy with an Irish accent, called out to me, and his tone was unkind.

"Hey, bird! The sign on the door says _closed,' _(he spoke to me as if I were slow in thinking) "So I'll be asking you to turn around and leave!"

I was very taken aback to be addressed as 'bird' because it's an Irish term for 'girl' or 'girlfriend,' and only Calvin calls me that, usually during our private times. However, when I looked around to see who was talking to me, it all made sense. The person approaching me was a teenage boy, who looked to be around seventeen or eighteen years old at that most.

"I _said, _turn around and leave! After hours, this place is _private. _Don't you know where you _are?" _

Deciding to play it safe, I copied his accent with ease as I replied, "Nope. I haven't any idea about where I am."

"Well, you're in The Wolfhound Pub, home of the Westies gang!"

My stomach flipped a few times at his words when I realized I'd unintentionally walked straight into the one place that I'd wanted to avoid the most.

Fortunately, nobody caught my little freak-out because almost as soon as the boy had finished boasting, there was an immediate uproar as the ten or so men who were in the pub started yelling at him, calling him an idiot, and things like that. Some of them even got off their bar stools and came over, pinning him to the wall next to me, lecturing him angrily in what I'm pretty sure was Gaelic.

Feeling flustered, I began edging back towards the door, not wanting to be dragged into what was beginning to look like a family argument, but I didn't get too far because I was intercepted by a kind-faced, albeit heavily tattooed woman who put an arm around my shoulder and steered me towards the bar. She was about as tall as me (and I'm close to Calvin's height, which is about six feet, two inches tall), and she had bright green eyes the looked full of secrets. The woman's long red hair tied up in a bun and there was a pencil sticking out of the back of it, so I guessed that she wrote a lot of orders down, or did something along those lines. Her outfit consisted of a pair of rather nice but somewhat faded jeans, a white form-fitting tank top with a green shamrock on it, and black ballet flats. For some reason, she reminded me of an adult version of Lily Joy, even though she looked only five years older than me, at the most.

"What's your name, darlin'?" she sat me down on a bar stool and went behind the bar. "My name is Molly Dearling, and I'm the bartender around here these days."

I pointed to myself. "Mairéad Finnegan."

Molly smiled kindly at me, and I was immediately put on guard, remembering that I'd just walked into a proverbial hornet nest. She picked up on this, especially when I glanced anxiously back toward the guys, who were all still carrying on.

"Don't worry about them—they won't lay a hand on you."

Now I was even more wary. "Why not? I'm in…"

"You can say it, luv." She tossed me a clean oversized dishrag from behind the bar. "Dry off with that, but say what I know you want to say."

I caught the dishrag and dried off my hair and face with it as best as I could, and when I was done, I saw that Molly the bartender was watching me intently, and if I wasn't mistaken, there was also a glint of danger in her eyes, reminding me that just about every member of the Westies has killed before, and for all I knew, Molly Dearling could very well fall into the category of killer… even if she's a bartender.

I had to tread lightly here, so as not to give anything away, but I couldn't help but like that this woman had been pretty nice and welcoming to me so far. "I know I'm in Hell's Kitchen right now, but I'm also in the heart of Westies territory, aren't I?"

"You're damned right you are. Normally, those gents," she gestured toward the guys who were all back their tables and avoiding the bar. "Would be the type to take prisoners, but they won't touch you as long as I say so."

"Why's that?"

She tilted her head to the side, studying me. "My, my—you _are _an inquisitive one, aren't you?"

"I'll tell you why they won't touch you if you _swear _not to rat us out to the police."

"I swear to God above that I'll do no such thing."

Molly's expression softened, and she looked friendly once more. "The guys won't touch you because taking you under my wing, and because I'm a Dearling."

"The Dearlings have sway around here, then?"

"Very much so, Mairéad." She confirmed. "The Dearlings, Roarks and the Coonans, but mostly the Coonans."

She was quiet again, sizing me up. "Where are you from, anyway? What had you outside in this God-awful weather?"

"I'm from Manhattan, if that's what you're asking. I was outside because I was running away from somewhere."

"Don't you have parents that will be missing you right now?"

"No." I admitted. "I've been without parents for quite some time now, actually."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty."

"Would you like to stay here? It doesn't sound like you have much to go back to."

She wasn't entirely wrong about that, and for some reason that I couldn't quite put a finger on, I was already beginning to feel at home in this old pub.

"Sure, I'll stay here for awhile."

"Then by all means, Mairéad Finnegan—welcome! You are free to come and go from here as you like now, and I have an apartment above here where there's a spare bedroom that you can have."

"Thanks, Molly." I was kind of taken aback that she was being so hospitable, but I didn't push it. "That's very nice of you."

"You're welcome, and I'll have you know that I'm going to be glad of your company. Things have been far too quiet since Juliana left, and that was eight years ago…"

Naturally, my curiosity was piqued at the mention of the name Juliana, and I wondered if she meant Juliana Singh, my friend. Even at that, I still had to play it cool so I didn't blow my cover.

"Who was Juliana?"

"She was a hell of a woman, Mairéad, I can tell you that much." (Was it my imagination, or did she sound a little wistful?) "Juliana was tall, had dark like the color of rich dark chocolate, was exotic-looking, and even had an Indian accent, to boot!"

(Holy Mother of Jesus! She _is _talking about _my _Juliana! But wait… what had _she _been doing _here, _mixed up with _this _crowd? She's married with kids!)

"What happened to her?"

"I'm not really sure. She was Dick Coonan's girl for a long time, but she split with her girls when she was about five months pregnant, and none of us have seen her ever since."

(Juliana was five months pregnant when she was here? Was the late Dick Coonan actually Raja Singh's biological father? Good God—did Juliana have an _affair?) _

"You talk about Juliana like she ran this place."

"As I recall, she practically did, and nobody crossed her because she was that much of a hellion."

I raised an eyebrow at this description. "What happened to those that actually _did _cross her?"

"Those who dared to cross Mister Coonan's girl were fools to do it because she'd have them pinned against the nearest table or door faster than you could blink, and then she would give them a warning to not do it again if they knew what was good for them while they begged to be let go because she actually was inflicting pain on them."

"Whoa…"

"And as for the numerous men who hit on her, if Mister Coonan didn't take them aside to 'have a word with them' first, Juliana would have them in a headlock and make them _swear _on the Good Book to not make a pass at her ever again. She was a dangerous, dangerous woman who knew how to scare the living daylights out of grown men. She was dangerous and _feared." _

"From the way you're talking about Juliana, it sounds like you miss her."

She shrugged. "It's more like I admire her because she was the first girlfriend of any of the guys here who wasn't a pushover. Juliana Singh knew how to stand her ground in a room full of thugs, and _that _was the admirable part about her."

(No wonder one of Juliana's most distinguishing trademarks is her privacy—knowing her the way I do, she'd say that she has many sins to atone for)

"But enough about her—she's in the past now, and what's done is done. What about you, Mairéad? You hungry?"

Suddenly, the food I'd consumed at the shelter seemed a lifetime ago, and just to prove my point, my stomach rumbled loudly.

"I could do with some food, sure, but I don't have _any _money to pay for a meal."

Molly waved that off. "Don't worry about that, either. You're my favorite, and I have the general run of this establishment. I'll take care of everything."

"Okay," I scanned the bar up and down, looking for a menu. "But _does _this establishment even _sell _food?"

"As a matter of fact, it does. I'll be right back."

I watched the tall redhead left her spot behind the bar and head away towards a kitchen area, and she hadn't been gone for two minutes when the boy from earlier came sidling over to the bar and perched himself on the barstool next to mine, leering at me as he did so.

"Hello, bird. Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot earlier—"

"You _think?" _I snapped in a loud and sarcastic tone that drew laughter from the other people in the room. "_Scram!" _

"What's your name?" he tried again, completely unperturbed. "Surely a fine lass like yourself has a beautiful name."

"Mairéad." I said shortly. "My name is Mairéad."

"Well then, fair Mairéad, I may not have four leaves like a clover, but if you kiss me, I'll bring you good luck!"

I made a noise of disgust, wishing this kid would leave. "How old _are _you?"

"How old do you think?"

"Seventeen."

The boy finally looked beaten, and someone from a nearby table called out, "You're right about that, lass! Mannix Coonan is _definitely _seventeen, but he's never seen a beautiful woman and _not _tried to hit on her!"

I looked back at Mannix Coonan, and he immediately asked another question before I could get a single word out.

"How old are _you?" _

"Old enough for you to get in serious trouble if you carry on."

"Trouble with whom?"

"My boyfriend. Look at me and listen: I. Am. _Taken." _

Mannix made a show of looking around. "I don't see anyone here to come save you. Where's this boyfriend of yours, then?"

"I'm warning you, Mannix…"

"Oh, yeah?" He taunted me and pretended to be worried. "I'm so scared; I'm shaking in my boots!"

I clenched my hands into fists and started counting down from ten in an attempt to not slug him. I'd gotten as far as eight when Mannix opened his mouth again.

"What happened here?" He leaned forward to get a better look. "That's an awful scar you've got there."

"Don't you dare touch me!"

Ignoring me, he ran a finger along the left side of my face from just beneath my left eye to the corner of my mouth. I immediately pushed his hand away.

"How did you—"

SMACK!

I'd slapped Mannix clean across the face with such force that he'd fallen clean off his barstool and landed on his back. A look of astonishment was on his face, and all was quiet as everybody in the room, including Molly, stopped what they were doing to watch us. I hopped off my barstool and stood over him.

"I _TOLD _YOU NOT TO TOUCH ME, MANNIX COONAN!" I yelled at him. "I'M NOT SCARED OF YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST AN _ANNOYING _LITTLE GIT WHO NEEDS TO BE PUT IN HIS PLACE! IF YOU _EVER _TOUCH ME AGAIN, I WILL DO WORSE THAN JUST KNOCK YOU OFF YOUR BARSTOOL!"

Mannix did nothing for a second, except stare at me, so I took a step towards him in a threatening manner, causing him to give a frightened squeak and scramble to his feet, whereupon he immediately hurried over to the furthest corner of the pub to sit down at a table, muttering something about homework.

All of the other people cheered, like I was the hero who had rid the land of a bad creature, and when I sat back down on my barstool to eat the food that Molly sat down in front of me, she informed me that Mannix is viewed by most of the regular after-hours occupants as an obnoxious git that just won't leave them alone. Molly went on to tell me that Mannix happens to be the little brother of the late drug lords Jackie Coonan and Dick Coonan, both of who had run the gang before Fin Roark had taken over. The parents of the Coonan brothers—Digby and Coleen—both died when Mannix was less than a year old, leaving him in the care of his brothers, both of whom were killed in 2009.

Fast forward a few years later, and now Mannix is legally emancipated at the age of seventeen, and he even has his own place. He hangs around at the Wolfhound pub only because the Westies are the only real family he has left and also because he knows that they know that they can't turn him away out of loyalty and respect to Digby, Coleen, Jackie and Dick Coonan… so, they all have to put up with him, even if he's a smarmy and super arrogant little git.

Molly also said that I'm the first girl who has come across Mannix's path who has dared to oppose. I'm also the first person who has come through the pub since Juliana has ever succeeded in putting Mannix Coonan in his place.

From that night on, I had the respect of the entire Westies gang.

And you know what? I _liked _it.

_One week later, April 27 _

_Wolfhound Pub, 9:45 P.M. _

I honestly don't know how or even _why _this happened, but in the space of a week, I stopped caring about wanting to go home because I was enjoying life with the Westies pretty well, especially because for the first time in my life, I was making decisions for myself without having _anybody _disprove of them. I truly enjoyed the power and that was what led me to make some changes in my appearance.

The first change was with my hair. All my life, I've had beautiful and silky blond hair that most people I know have been envious of at some point. It's been very long for as long as I can remember, and over the years I got used to it, but it was always long because my dad had been very protective of me because I was his youngest child, so he had all of these very strict rules, one of them being that I could never have it shorter than my shoulders. In the time that I've been gone, my hair grew down to the middle of my back, and I was getting tired of it.

In a very big leap of faith, I got all of my long hair chopped off and styled into a pixie cut. And then, when just about everybody in the salon complimented me on my new look and how great it was, I decided on a whim to have it colored, too, so by the end of that appointment, I'd gone from a plain and boring blonde to a fiery redhead.

The second change was my tattoo.

Yes. I, Melissa Paisley Queller, have a tattoo.

(If dad was here, he would have pitched a fit, but mum wouldn't have cared all that much)

Because I was inspired by Jessica and her many tattoos, I got a half-length tattoo sleeve with the design of a brilliant red and orange fiery phoenix. The words 'fearless' and 'stronger' had been worked into the design, standing out in brilliant blue ink. And so as to not totally copy the phoenix tattoo that Jessica has, instead of starting at my shoulder, mine began at my wrist and stopped just at my elbow. From a distance, it looked like my entire lower right arm was engulfed in flames.

I wasn't exactly living the high life, but I was enjoying it… I had a serious and bracing reality check.

When I had realized upon my arrival at the Wolfhound Pub that I was probably in the company of murderers, it turned out that I was right, but it just took awhile to see it.

My reality check happened exactly a week after my arrival when the usual after-hours crowd was there, including the current gang leader, Fin Roark, and he and Mannix just happened to be sitting at my table, discussing something, not minding that I was there. Since I'm a favorite of Molly Dearling's and she is a member of one of the three families who has lots of sway in the Westies, _and _because I promised to be loyal to the gang, nobody had any problems with discussing business in front of me, the newcomer.

Nevertheless, I became worried.

"Listen up, boyo," Fin was talking to Mannix in a sharp authoritative tone. "If you _really _want to be part of the gang, then it's time that you've earned your keep and you're put through the initiation ritual that everybody else here—even Molly the bartender—went through before _they _were fully accepted."

"But I _am _part of the gang! I was born into the Westies because of who my parents were, and you know that!" Mannix complained, leading me to think of him more and more as a total brat while Fin just rolled his eyes. "And what about Mairéad? She's been here for awhile, and _she _hasn't had to do it!"

"You do _not _touch Mairéad Finnegan! _Ever!" _Fin's words came out in an angry snarl, and I knew that his dislike of Mannix Coonan helped. "She's an exception because she's under the protection of Molly Dearling, which means that none of the rest of us can touch her, but if you ever see her or any of her family members in trouble, you are obligated to help!"

(Oh, my God! As long as these people think that I'm really called Mairéad Finnegan, my family and I are under the protection of one of the most ruthless gangs in all of New York City, all on the boss' word!)

"Fine, fine." Mannix grumbled. "Who is my target?"

Fin handed him a slip of paper and smirked when Mannix read the words on it and turned pale.

"Nope, sorry." Mannix put the piece of paper back down, shaking his head. "This is crazy, _and _a bit much."

"It isn't if you want to be a full-fledged Westie." Fin retrieved a briefcase from where it had resting on the floor and set it on the table. "Open that briefcase now."

Mannix did so, but it was with trembling fingers, and then I saw what was in the briefcase: a brand new (and probably illegal) top-of-the-line pistol.

"I know that the initiation is to kill, but really—do I have to kill someone from _there?" _

"If you want to fit in and be accepted here, then yes, you do. If you don't want to tarnish your family name _or _bring dishonor to the memories of your parents or brothers, then yes, boyo, you _have _to kill this FBI agent."

(At this moment, I did everything to not freak out as I thought of Jordan Shaw and Krista Riley, two FBI agents that I know personally)

"When do I have to do it?"

"_Now!" _

Looking like someone had just told him that his favorite dog was dead, Mannix got to his feet, shutting the briefcase and preparing to leave. As he did so, his motions caused the slip of paper to fall off the tabletop. I caught it and saw that saw the address of the federal building where both Jordan and Krista work. Beneath that was a name, but it wasn't either one of theirs.

No.

Instead, it read: _Charles Avery. _

Shut the front door!

Jordan's _partner _is the target!

…This can't be happening…

I was brought back to reality when I saw that Mannix hadn't left the table, because he was hesitating.

"I thought that Avery was undercover."

"Not anymore. His cover has been blown because the boss," (with a sickening jolt, I realized that he was talking about the Dragon) "Has him figured out. All you need to know right now is that Avery doesn't know he's been found out by _us, _and that he's going to be back at the federal building tomorrow, probably to be moved into Witness Protection before things get any worse for him."

There was a beat of silence, and then, "Any more stupid questions, boyo? The clock is ticking!"

Mannix wisely shook his head, probably because he didn't want Fin any more mad at him than he already was and hurried out of the pub without looking back.

I spaced out, realizing that I was now in this whole thing _way _over my head more than ever before and that even though I've recently thrown all of my cares to the wind, I still have a particular part of me that is bound by love to all of my siblings and their families, yes, but there's also the part of me that's bound to protecting any member of the Shaw family because Calvin loves me, and because Rafferty and Jordan have treated me like one of their own kids almost as soon as I met them, so by extension, that means that I'm obligated to look out for Jordan's close colleagues, too.

Great. This is just great.

I've known since the day that Jessica and I gave Bella, Jeffery and Sophia to Agent Avery at the house in Washington Heights in order to get them to safety that he's been undercover, but his death is going to just _destroy _Jordan because the two of them have been partners for twelve _years. _

I've seen Jordan in a state of devastation before, at Meredith's funeral, and it had not been a pleasant thing to witness.

If I can save her from any kind of devastation, this is the time to act.

"Mairéad?"

I jumped a little when I realized that Fin Roark was waving his hand in front of my face, trying to get my attention.

"Sorry, what?"

"Are you all right?" (Since he sticks to the rules and he knows that anybody under the protection of one of the head families is untouchable as a sign of respect to not cross the wrong person, I know that Fin looks out with me with a fatherly-type concern) "You look a bit out of it."

"I'm all right," I smiled reassuringly. "And thanks for saying what you did about me being under protection, and all."

He shrugged it off like it was no big deal, but there was no mistaking the fondness in his gruff tone. "It's the way things go around here to those around here to those who are invited in or 'adopted in,' as Molly is so fond of putting it. That rule goes on until you die, so even if you're a drifter, like Juliana, and you leave here, we'll always protect you."

"That's a good rule, I think."

Again, he shrugged it off and got to his feet, drained his beer mug, setting it down on the table when he was done. "Good night, bonny lass. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Of course you will," (I masked a shudder as I realized that I was on such friendly terms with one of the most wanted men in the whole city) "And that's because you practically _live _here!"

Fin gave me a playful shove. "You're a smart one, you are, Mairéad Finnegan."

"I know." I chirped in amusement. "Now go ahead and go!"

With a final 'good night,' Fin Roark left the pub, leaning me behind with everyone else, just like he does on most nights that he comes in, but tonight was different because I had a chance to save a life, but the biggest hitch is that now I'll never, _ever _be able to come back to the Wolfhound Pub because the regular occupants know me as Mairéad Finnegan, the soon-to-be girl who betrayed the Westies gang, the one thing I was warned about doing on the night that Molly Dearling took me under her wing.

What in the world have I gotten myself into?

"Mairéad, come here!"

I got up when I saw that Molly was beckoning to me from where she was positioned at the bar and hurried over to her.

"Yes?"

"You look like you're up to something," (I opened my mouth to explain, but she shook her head, signaling for me to be quiet) "And I really don't want to know what it is because I don't want to get dragged into it, and because your business is your own, but here's a little something to help you out if you need it. I was keeping it for myself, but I think that you're going to need it more than me right now."

Before I could really say no to her, she took a hefty wad of rolled up twenty dollar bills out of her pocket and when I thought she was going to peel a few bills off, she gave me the whole thing, telling me to put it in my pocket and not let anybody see. (As easygoing as the Westies are with me, I learned quickly that Molly is the only one that they really trust with large amounts of money) I did as I was told and left the pub, not making a big deal of it because I knew that she could tell that I wasn't coming back and that it would be better just to treat my departure as if I was just going a nighttime stroll, as I sometimes do.

I'm going to miss Molly Dearling, and I'll always be grateful for her taking me in when I could have very well been dead meat for walking into the wrong place at the wrong time, but I knew deep down inside that I was just going to have to let her go and move on…

Once I was out of the range of the pub windows, I proceeded to half walk, half run towards the payphone at the end of the block and dial the operator, asking her to connect me to the nearest precinct, specifying that I wanted to be put through to the Homicide department if that was a possibility. I prayed that it wasn't the Twelfth, because just about anybody there would recognize my voice, and also because I just didn't have the emotional capacity to handle that scenario if it happened right now.

Thankfully, I was put through to the Eighteenth precinct, and a man answered.

"Clarkson, Homicide."

"Yes, I'd like to report something anonymously about the Westies."

Detective Clarkson sounded skeptical. "Okay. What would that be?"

"A boy who hangs out with them named Mannix Coonan is on orders from Fin Roark himself to kill Special Agent Charles Avery of the FBI tonight or tomorrow!"

There was the sound of Clarkson writing something down on a piece of paper before he spoke again. "You said that this Mannix kid is a Coonan? All of the Coonans have been dead since 2009."

"Trust me, there's one left, and he's just as dangerous and cunning as the rest of his family members were. Nobody has heard of Mannix before because he's a teenager and he knows how to stay well off the radar."

"Is there anything else you know about Mannix? Could you describe him?"

I was able to give Detective Clarkson an accurate description of Mannix Coonan, and when I was done, he thanked me and hung up. After that, I put the payphone back in its cradle, and that's when my thoughts and feelings about what I'd just done come crashing down around me.

I'm alone for the night on the streets of Hell's Kitchen, and I have _no _place to go.

I've betrayed the Westies after they were so nice to me when they have a bad reputation that proceeds them everywhere they go in this town. Sooner or later, they're going to figure out what I did, meaning that the Wolfhound Pub is quite off-limits right now.

And seeing as I'm not sure of the direction of the shelter where I left Jessica and Twitchy, the only thing that I can do now is run until I'm too tired or I find a new temporary shelter… whichever comes first.

Sometimes I don't know what to make of my life, and this is most definitely one of those times.

I'm on the run—yet again—and all I have are the clothes on my back, the shoes on my feet, and what I guessed to be two hundred or three hundred dollars in my pocket, as a parting gift from Molly.

The bright side: now my number one goal is to just get back home, the place where my family and friends are.

What a long night this is going to turn out to be.

But at least I can be home tomorrow.


	4. Reunions, Part One

**This chapter is especially for myboygeorge and Mister Humphrey ;) **

_April 21, next day _

_Midtown Manhattan _

They call me Caitlan Russell, but that's the name I grew up with. If you want to get technical about it, at the time of my birth, my full name was Caitlan _Leilani _Russell. But… even now, that isn't quite my name anymore.

Seeing as I've said that much, I suppose I should tell you some more about myself. It's only fair.

I'm thirty-five years old, and I was born to Bryton and Akela Russell on June twelfth, 1981 in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. I have an older sister, Bailey Halina, and also a younger sister, Tiffany Elizapeka. They were both born over there, too, making all three of us very proud native-born Hawaiians. I'm very close to my sisters, and always have been, but it's been in the last seventeen years that we became even closer than we were when we were younger.

More about that later.

Bailey is thirty-seven, and she's a stay-at-home mom to her two adorable sons, Manuel and Pablo, who are four and two. Bailey's husband, Juan Carlos Rivera, is a Wall Street investor, and he and they make their home in that area.

As for Tiffany, she's three years younger than me at the age of thirty-two, and she is one of the most distinguished lawyers in the family division at the local courthouse, and she just so happens to be very good friends with a handful of prominent judges and lawyers in the area. The thing about my baby sister that sets her apart from most other women I know is that she is a lesbian, and she's very proud of it. (She wants to be mayor one day, and she doesn't let her sexual orientation from keep her from reaching her goals) Tiffany is now happily married to a delightful English woman by the name of Iris Ravensdale, and she is a physical therapist over at Saint Brigid's hospital. My sister and her wife actually live around the corner from where I live with my family, so they're over all the time. They've been married for five years and are just now starting a family, thanks to the help of an anonymous donor they picked out from a catalog, and because Tiffany and Iris are equally adventurous people, both of them are pregnant at the same time! Tiffany is due any day, but Iris has three more months to go.

I moved to New York City when I was a senior in high school, and my dad and both of my sisters came with, but my mom stayed behind in Honolulu. Seventeen years later, that stubborn old bat has not budged.

But to get to _that _point, I have to explain how my parents met.

It was during their senior year at Chamindale University of Honolulu, where she was pursuing religious studies because she had ambitions of working at her father's church and eventually taking it over as head pastor when he retired, and my father was hard at work, earning a degree in biology because he wanted to be a teacher. His parents, Cledwyn and Teleri, started out as immigrants from Cardiff, Wales, and they moved to Upstate New York looking to expand their clothing company, and believe me, they did. Within a year of them being here, they struck gold when some of the biggest names in fashion caught wind of them and decided to invest in their business, turning it into a now booming enterprise.

Owing to their luck and their success, they became rich pretty quickly and my father had a pretty privileged upbringing, living in a mansion up in the countryside with a full staff and having everything handed to him on a silver platter. Dad admits that he has no regrets from that part of his life, but he also says that he got quite a thrill in telling his parents that he wanted to go to the other side of the country, to _Hawaii, _to receive his college education, simply because he wanted to challenge himself. That choice left him at odds with his parents ever since, but it's how he met my mom.

These days, my parents are legally separated but not divorced because they were both raised to believe that divorce is a sin, and all of that happened because of a vicious fight they got into after Tiffany came out. They'd been fighting for awhile, anyway—dad wanted to move us girls back to New York to give us a taste of living on the mainland because we'd never been out of Hawaii before, but mom told him that she was more than content to stay in Honolulu, the place where she was born and raised, until the day she dies—but Tiffany's coming out of the closet pushed mom right over the edge, and she started ranting and raving about how her youngest daughter turned out to be nothing but a disappointment to her. Mom was also pretty upset because she and my dad had both been raised as Roman Catholic Christians and they both came from very strict families, meaning that having a lesbian daughter was a big fat no-no.

(Neither set of my grandparents are big fans of Tiffany, either)

Bailey and I spent that whole day on the beach with our little sister, telling her that none of it was her fault and that we loved her and would stick by her, no matter the outcome of our parents' fight. (It wouldn't be until a few months before hers and Iris' wedding that she would tell us a secret she'd been carrying around since then: if not for keeping our promise and supporting her when she felt guilty about being the reason behind mom and dad's biggest fight, and then hitting rock bottom as a result, she would have done killed herself) Dad found us a few hours after the fight and told us that he was going to move himself and us to New York as soon as possible. We were packed up and on an airplane to Manhattan two weeks later. Bailey, Tiffany and I never got along well with our mother because she had always been unbelievably strict, so we said goodbye to her, and that was that. Dad talks to her every now and again, but my sisters and I have all chosen to not have contact with her anymore. She really _was _that strict.

I was a student at Stuyvesant High School for less than a day when I met and befriended my fellow classmates, Madison Queller and Portia Byers. Everything was okay for awhile, I was doing well in my classes and I was having fun establishing my reputation as the cool new girl from Hawaii, but then came January ninth. Madison called me, crying up a storm, because her other friend, Kate Beckett, had just lost her mother in a horrible, horrible murder, and poor Kate was already flipping out like you'd never seen before. I dropped everything and went to be with her, grabbing Portia along the way.

Portia and I became Madison's support system after that, and we closed ranks around her to hold her up after Kate bailed to do her own thing, leaving poor Madison in the dust. Portia, Madison and I have been as close as sisters ever since.

When Madison got a job in the restaurant business and was looking for someone to be her manager, I was her first choice, which was perfect because I had recently earned my degree in public relations from Columbia University and was more than ready to represent someone. Madison was my first ever-client.

As for Portia, she hasn't gone anywhere, but she went into the jewelry business and has been working at Tiffany & Co. for as long as I've known her, slowly working her way up the chain of command and has one of the best sales positions there now. Madison and I were both at her wedding ten years ago, and we both witnessed the birth of her daughter, Inga, seven years ago.

Madison and Portia even introduced me to Henry Meinrad, the famous children's author, and I had no idea at the time that we were going to fall in love and get married…

One of the things about me being a top name in public relations is that I'm quite famous in the five boroughs, and as a resuly, I am most _definitely _page six material, meaning that I'm as well known as Madison is and as a result, my life is on display all the time.

Over the years, I've never really felt that I needed a husband to complete me, but none of that stopped me from wanting to be a mother. My good friend from college, Norman Young, caught wind of this and after a very long talk with his wife, he offered his little swimmers to my cause, and I accepted. Nine months later, I gave birth to my beautiful son, Kalani. I let Norman be there during the birth because it felt like the only way I could repay him, but he's agreed to stay his distance and be the fun uncle because he has his own family, although… Kalani is three and knows the truth about who his father is.

Much to my dismay, the public became incredibly nosy about why I wouldn't reveal the name of the man who fathered my child, and as time wore on, I was called the most awful names. In the midst of all of that, Henry was introduced to me by friends, and before I knew it, I was pouring my heart out to him about everything and he just held me and comforted me, saying that what I had done was admirable. He also thought I was the strongest person he ever met for having endured all of the slander that the pubic threw at me.

Before I knew it, I was introducing him to Kalani, my sisters and my dad.

Three years later, after being together for just a few months short of Kalani's entire life, Henry proposed to me and we got married, making me Caitlan Leilani _Meinrad. _

It's now been exactly two months and a week since the wedding, and… I feel ill.

But I feel ill because I'm pregnant.

I found out just now, in a women's restroom of the Q3 because I'd taken three tests and they all popped positive. Quickly disposing of them in a trashcan and exiting the stall, I washed my hands and then got as far as the extravagant bathroom lounge sofa to process this information.

It's not a bad thing for me, being pregnant, but Henry and I _just _got married, and although we'd talked about giving Kalani a sibling, we'd both agreed that we wanted some time together as a couple before that happened. I'm really happy about it, especially since I had been suspecting a pregnancy for a little while, and I know that Henry will also be happy because he loves being a parent as much as I do, but still…

A baby? _Now? _

We haven't even been married for two months yet!

Wait…

If it hasn't been two months yet, that means that we made this baby on our wedding night!

…I wonder if Henry's going to be as amused as I am right now when he does the math…

"Caitlan, are you okay?"

"We came to check on you."

I looked up and jumped slightly when I saw Madison, whose regular pace has been reduced to a gait as of late because of her huge triplet belly. Portia was at her side, spotting her to make sure that she didn't trip or teeter to the side.

"Actually, I'm not sure."

My friends immediately sat on either side of me and looked at me expectantly, waiting for details.

"I just found out that I'm pregnant."

"Well, that's not bad, is it?" Madison's tone was cheerful, even as she tracked the movements of her unborn babies across the surface of her belly, where they were all huddled together, trying to impress her with their acrobatics. "I mean, you _love _kids, and you love being a mom to Kai. We also know that you love being an auntie to Manuel and Pablo."

"That's all quite true, and I know that Henry is going to be happy once I tell him, but…" my voice trailed off once I thought of the part the came next.

"Oh!" Portia said with a sudden dawn of realization. "This is a wedding night baby, isn't it, Nanikati?"

I nodded and laughed at the old nickname as I commended Portia on her math skills. Madison rolled her eyes and seized control of the situation so she could get her say in as Portia erupted into a fit of giggles like she was a little kid again.

"Did you just do a test or something?"

"Three, in fact, and they were all positive."

Madison raised her eyebrows at this. "Are you going to call Henry? You can you my office, but Portia and I can vacate it, if need be."

"No, I don't need that right now, but I appreciate the gesture."

"Would you like me to schedule an appointment for you with my sister since she monitored your first pregnancy?"

"I'll do it later," I told her as I got to my feet and stretched. "But all I need right now is to get some fresh air out back. I'll be inside in a few."

My friends watched me leave the restroom, and after that I headed over to the kitchen, knowing that the back door would lead me straight out to the alley, a place where I could get fresh air and privacy at the same time. Nobody paid that much attention to me as I made my way through the busy room because as Madison's publicist, I have free reign of the restaurant, and most of the employees are on a first-name basis with me. Once I was outside, I took a brief walk down the alleyway to get some fresh air away from the dumpsters and then sat on an upturned box to examine my baby bump that I only just became aware of after the pregnancy tests were confirmed. I was a bit startled to see that it was a bit bigger than it had been at this point in my pregnancy with Kalani, but I took it in stride and cradled the bump, loving the feel of being able to do that.

"Hi, baby. I'm sorry that we're talking out here in an alley, but mama just _really _needed some fresh air because it was a little too stuffy inside Auntie Maddie's restaurant. The last thing that either one of us need is for me to be getting dizzy."

Right at that moment, my stomach flipped for the umpteenth time and instead of dismissing it as morning sickness like I had been for a few days, I teared up when I realized that that funny feeling was teeny-tiny baby fluttering around inside me.

(I guess it's true when they say that you can feel baby's movements earlier in the second pregnancy. It's not a lot, but it still feels like a little butterfly)

"Oh yes, little one—I can feel you fluttering around in there, so don't worry. The only thing _I'm _thinking about right now is how to explain you to papa. He's going to be pretty happy, but it's all going to be very interesting… and just you wait until your big brother Kai finds out. _He _is going to have a field day."

Of course, there was only silence, so I looked back the way I had come to make sure I hadn't gotten lost, and I was realized to see that I could still see the Q3, and that it wasn't all that far away. A breeze blew through the alley, making me shiver slightly, even though this was a warm morning, even for the month of April. The breeze made a few papers around my feet blow out towards the street, but I noticed a newspaper get stuck on something behind a dumpster. Curious about what it had gotten stuck on, I stepped forward to free the newspaper and chuck it in the dumpster, but a stronger breeze blew through finally freeing the newspaper, and when I saw what it had been stuck against, I stopped short and screamed bloody murder.

It was a dead body!

I screamed and hurried back towards the Q3 so fast that I fell forward onto the gravel of the alley floor, landing on my knees and hands, definitely skinning them. Praying that nothing was broken and that my baby was okay, I picked myself up and kept going. I was intending to find Madison or Portia, but I was just outside the back entrance to the Q3 when I ran smack dab into was Molly Kerrigan, the pastry chef. She caught me and pushed my long inky-black hair out of my face in order to look into my eyes.

"Caitlan, what's wrong?" she asked in motherly concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"N-not quite a ghost, Molly."

"I beg your pardon? 'Not quite a ghost'?"

"I just saw a dead body! It was only for a second, but he's just over there," I pointed in the direction from where I had just come. "And he's behind a green dumpster! I—oh, no. I'm going to—"

Before I could even finish my sentence, my stomach rolled violently and I proceeded to throw up from a combination of shot nerves and morning sickness. Molly gave me a soothing backrub and then started speaking to someone behind me, presumably just inside the kitchen, issuing orders to them. The next thing I knew, Madison and Portia were fussing over me, and I was vaguely aware of Madison saying that she was no medical doctor, but some of my cuts might end up needing stitches. I didn't really come back to my senses until I was in an ambulance in the back alley, a few yards away from where a police team was now investigating the body that I'd found.

"Mrs Meinrad," came a paramedics voice. "I need you to focus right now. A Captain Beckett is here to speak with you, but I really need for you to stop fidgeting so I can clean your injuries."

"I'm sorry. Am I going to need stitches?"

The paramedic shook her head. "Nope, no surgical stitches—only butterfly stitches."

I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that butterfly stitches were only adhesive bandages. A sudden thought crossed my mind and I glided my hand over my belly.

"Is my baby okay? I only just found out that I'm expecting."

"We can look in a second, but Captain Beckett is really anxious to talk to you right now."

I sat still on the ambulance bed and let the paramedic do her thing. She made room for Captain Beckett to climb up into the ambulance and sit on the bed opposite mine, but quietly went about her work. However, I gave a start when I realized who Captain Beckett was. Most people, especially those on my circuit, would recognize her as Kate Castle, wife of the famous crime author, Richard Castle, but _I _recognized her as Kate Beckett, the girl who had left Madison as an emotional wreck for Portia and I to piece back together. This time around, seventeen years have passed, and we're all grown-ups now.

Of course, I couldn't stop those memories from coming back, especially the ones of Portia and I being Madison's emotional support when she asked us to come with us to Kate's mother's funeral, but for the sake of the situation at hand, I had to be mature about it, so I behaved pleasantly with Kate and cooperated with her.

(But even so, Kate wouldn't have a reason to recognize me because even when we were at school together, we were never introduced)

"Mrs Meinrad, I'm sorry that you're injured, especially in your condition, but do you feel up to feel up to answering a few questions?"

"Sure, but I insist that you call me Caitlan, because that's my name."

Kate smiled at this, but remained professional. "How long ago did you discover the deceased?"

"A half hour at the most, but I can't really be sure because I left my phone inside the Q3, and I don't really wear watches."

She made a note on her notepad before posing the next questions. "What were you doing out in the alleyway? Why were you at the Q3?"

"I was outside to get some fresh air because I was feeling surprised about discovering my pregnancy, so I decided to go to the alley because it was nearby and I didn't want to be breathing in the smell of the garbage dumpsters."

I paused for a second, trying to get comfortable on the bed while trying not to be a nuisance to the paramedic, who was almost done with her work.

"The reason I was at the Q3 today was because I'm a good friend of hers, _and _I'm her publicist. Madison and another friend of ours, Portia Thiessen, have been in Madison's office since about ten."

Kate made more notes on her notepad. "One last question, Caitlan—how did you find the body in the alleyway?"

I explained the specifics to her and watched as she made more notes, and when she was done, she put her pen and notepad inside her coat pocket before speaking yet again.

"Do you have any questions for me?"

"Yes, actually—if you're a precinct captain, why are you out in the field? Don't you have detectives to do that work for you?"

"I most certainly do, and trust me—they're all hard at work nearby here. As for why I'm out in the field when I could be in my office right now… that's confidential."

"Fair enough," I conceded. "But does he at least have some family members who are going to miss him? What's his name?"

Kate's tone became even more professional now, but she sounded sad. "According to the ID we found on him, his name is Charles Avery, and as far as we know we've figured out, he doesn't have any family, no."

"Does he have _anybody?" _

"He has a partner at the FBI who's going to miss him," Kate got to her feet and made to leave. "And now if you'll excuse me, I have to go tell her."

The other woman left, but not before handing me her business card. I pocketed it, and just as I did so, I heard my name being called from outside.

"Caitlan? Caitlan, where are you?"

My heart leapt when I recognized the voice as my husband's.

"Henry?" I looked out into the crowd of policemen and medical personnel for my husband, whose presence I barely remember requesting. "Henry, I'm in the ambulance!"

My husband, a tall blond German man with some of the bluest eyes you've ever seen, loomed into view, being escorted by a police officer. Our beloved son, Kalani, was being carried on his hip. Sir Bevedere, Kalani's precious toy camel was clamped under Kalani's arm. He never lets it out his sight.

Henry spotted us and climbed into the ambulance and sat next to me, while Kalani immediately climbed into my lap, mindful of my injuries.

"Mama, I so worried 'bout you when papa sayed to me that you gotted hurt."

"I'm okay now, Kai." I kissed his curly black locks, thankful that he didn't fidget or try to push me away like he usually does. "What about Sir Bevedere? Was he worried about me?"

My boy regarded the chocolate-colored stuffed camel in his arms and then looked back at me. "Yeah, mama—Sir Bev'dere was worried very a lot. He crided big fat camel tears, but I tolded him that it was all gonna be okay."

"If I give Sir Bevedere a kiss, will he better?"

Kalani giggled, his big brown eyes twinkling in amusement as he held his toy up to me. After I gave the somewhat grubby toy a kiss, Kalani became content and leaned against me for a snuggle, so I turned to Henry and beckoned to him. He moved closer and we shared a brief kiss, knowing that there would be more time for an intimate celebration later, when we were home and Kalani was in bed. When we pulled away, I kept an arm wrapped around Kalani so he didn't fall, but with my other hand, I cupped the side of Henry's face and smiled at him, stroking his cheek affectionately.

"What is it, ko 'u aloha?" (Even with his native German accent, it still makes me feel really warm and fuzzy inside when he uses Hawaiian terms of endearment, especially when he calls me his love, like he did just now) "You're not terribly hurt, are you? I mean, I see your cuts and bruises from where you tripped, but—"

I put a finger to his lips to keep him from talking for a second. "I'm okay, Henry, I promise, but I just want to tell you about a surprise I only just received a half hour ago."

"I like surprises…"

"Then you're really going to like this one—the surprise is that I'm nine weeks pregnant."

Henry blinked in surprise and was quiet for a few seconds, but then he just hugged me close and whispered happy things in my ears. That display of affection didn't last too long, however, because Kalani pushed us apart, protesting at being smothered.

"Mama, papa!" he complained with annoyance. "I don't _like _being squished up! I hafta be able to _breathe!" _

Henry pulled Kalani into his lap. "Sorry about that, little guy. We're just excited because mama just told me something _really _exciting."

Kalani turned towards me with an imploring look. "What news, mama?"

"There's a baby in my tummy, Kai. What do you think of that?"

He gave an excited gasp in response and leaned towards me to give my belly a pat. "Aloha, baby! My name Kai, and I love you very a lot, a _lot!" _

Henry and I watched in amusement as Kalani blew kisses to my midriff and then talk to it in a babble of English, Hawaiian and German. Still not forgetting about the paramedic's company, I tapped Kai on the shoulder and he reluctantly tore his gaze away and looked up at me with curiosity.

"Yes, mama?"

"Kai, do you see the nice lady over there?"

He glanced at her and then back at me. "Yep! Was she takin' care of you and the baby?"

"She was, yes," (Kalani quickly thanked the paramedic before giving me his attention yet again) "But now she's going to use a special machine to check on the baby to make sure that he or she is okay."

"Do me and papa get to watch, or do we hafta wait outside?" he asked anxiously. "Can Sir Bevedere watch also?"

"You and papa may watch, and so may Sir Bevedere, you all have to vacate this bed right now."

Now Kalani looked puzzled. "What's a 'vacate'?"

"It means that you and I have to get up so that mama can lay back," Henry informed him, getting to his feet and taking Kalani with him. "But there's no reason to go banana-sandwich on us now, because you and I are going to stay right here, where we can see everything."

This development sat well with Kalani and he cooperated by staying still in Henry's arms, clutching his toy camel to his chest while we watched the paramedic do her thing. Before long, everything was ready and the paramedic was working the portable ultrasound machine and moving the wand over my bare belly, pointing various things out to my family and I about the image of the baby on the screen.

"Would you look at that." The paramedic mused after she had paused to examine something else on the screen. "It looks like your baby isn't alone in there."

My heart skipped a beat and then Henry and I exchanged a nervous glance with each other before we looked back at the paramedic.

"_Twins?" _We chorused.

"That's right." The paramedic chirped as she held the screen towards us and pointing things out again. "Twin A is over here and hasn't budged, but Twin B is camped out next to them, happy as a lark."

Henry and I were both at a loss for words, but Kalani wasn't and he directed his next question to the paramedic.

"Twins mean that there are _two _babies growing in mama's tummy?"

"Very good!" she held the screen out to Kalani. "Would you like to hold it so you can see them closer?"

Kalani nodded immediately and set Sir Bevedere in his lap so he could use both of his little hands to hold the screen. Being trained to work with all age levels, the paramedic happily pointed everything out to him, patiently explaining things and answering all of his questions.

"Wow." My son breathed in awe at the screen after a minute or so. "_Two _babies… there are two… Papa, I feel funny…"

All at once, Kalani lost the ability to string a sentence together and he started blinking rapidly and shaking his head, like he was trying to stay awake. However, that didn't work because he fainted clean away in Henry's arms.

"He fainted!" Henry exclaimed. "Is he going to be okay?"

I laughed as I sat up and wiped the cold ultrasound gel off my baby bump. "Don't worry, Henry—he's going to be just fine."

"How do you know?" Henry was taken aback that I wasn't being a little more concerned, and I knew that part of it had something to do with the fact that he grew up as an only child of overprotective parents. "Caitlan, did you not just see what happened? Kai _fainted!" _

"I know that he's going to be okay because according to my dad," I told him as I pulled my shirt back over my baby bump, making a note to go shopping for maternity clothing items later. "Bailey passed out when she learned that my mom was pregnant with me, and then one of my first childhood memories is of her and I passing out when we found out that Tiffany was on the way. I remember that like yesterday, even though I was three."

Henry got to his feet and held Kalani close to him before pulling me to my feet and guiding me out of the ambulance, thanking the paramedic as we went.

"Well, in that case, do you think that Kai will wake up by the time we get to Remy's?"

I nodded, but perked up at this. "We're going to Remy's now?"

My husband kissed me on the temple. "Of course! We're going so that we can kill two birds with one stone: celebrating the news with our boy and keeping you happy and fed! I can't have the mother of my children feeling famished, can I?"

"Absolutely not, mein mann." I purred to him, using the German words for 'my husband,' and smirked when I saw how flustered he was, knowing that me speaking any German to him had the same kind of affect on him that him speaking Hawaiian has on me. "Now let's hurry up because I've had enough excitement for the morning, and so have the babies! I also just remembered that I left my things in Maddie's office."

I hurried away with the other two in my wake.

_A few hours later, Melissa's Point of View _

_3:30 P.M. _

Today has been good to me.

Even though I'm tired after having slept for a very long time, the day has been good to me.

It started last night, actually. After hanging up the phone with Detective Clarkson, I was on the move yet again, but it wasn't too long that I came across some shelter—a cheap motel that gave off a 'don't ask, don't tell' vibe—and I rented a room for the night where I promptly fell onto the bed and promptly fell asleep and slept well into the next day (today), waking up around one-thirty in the afternoon because I had been that exhausted. When I checked out, I consulted a pocket map I'd purchased from the motel clerk and figured out that I was actually _in _Mid Town, the one part of Manhattan that I had been trying my hardest to get back to!

I did some walking before it occurred to me that I could pay for a cab since Molly Dearling had loaded me down with all that cash, so I quickly hailed a cab and gave instructions for the driver at the corner of the street that Madison's restaurant, the Q3, was located on.

That was at about ten minutes after three, and now, exactly twenty minutes later, I was paying the cab driver the correct fare and getting out of the cab and exiting to the sidewalk, but as I stood on the street corner, staring in the direction of my sister's restaurant, a new thought suddenly hit me—the last time I bathed was yesterday morning, so I was kind of dirty, but the thing that made me feel apprehensive was my outfit (a simple yet casual cocktail dress and pair of tights that Molly Dearling had given to me, but still the same trusty combat boots I had been wearing when I left Calvin's house), and it concerned me because the Q3 has a very fancy dress code and I knew that my clothes didn't quite cut it. I _am _the owner's youngest sister, but it would have still be awkward if I walked through the front door of such a fine dining establishment, dressed like this.

One thing for it, then: go through the back door in the kitchen to surprise Madison because if Molly Kerrigan was there, working on her pastries, she would be able to get me through without much trouble.

(Although most people think I'm not aware of it, I've noticed that Molly Kerrigan is among a select group of women who have been keeping an eye on me the way a mother would, and they've all been like that once they learned about what happened to my parents and me that night in the park)

But… going through the Q3 kitchen means going through the alleyway behind it.

So I did.

Unfortunately, I encountered trouble when I got to the front entrance of the garbage area, which I had to go through to get to the kitchen. Some of the workers taking out the garbage saw me and tried to stop me from going in. Reason caught up with me when I realized that they didn't recognize me because of the drastic changes I'd made to my appearance, but I also realized that they weren't speaking English.

Was that… _Serbian? _

The only thing I could think to do was yell and hope that my sister could hear me.

"MADISON? MADISON? ARE YOU IN THERE? COME OUTSIDE!"

My raised voice annoyed the workers a great deal and they started yelling even more in Serbian. All of the commotion attracted the attention of somebody inside and it wasn't Madison, but this person was just as good.

It was Ashley's mother, Molly Kerrigan.

I was a bit surprised when she fired back at the workers in Serbian (especially when she said my name), but I quickly became pleased when the workers looked scared of her, said something to her and me that sounded like an apology and then hurried back inside again. When they were gone, Molly saw me and held her arms out for a hug. I hurried over and fell into her embrace.

"Hello, sweet Melissa. I've missed you." She whispered. "I also like your new hairstyle."

I couldn't help but laugh because Molly's defense mechanism in a situation like this is to find a joke about it.

"Thanks." As I showed her my tattoo, I remembered to switch back to my regular Australian accent, seeing as I've never had an American one. "What about this? Do you like it?"

"A phoenix is a brilliant choice." She paused a second, remembering something. "Where is Jessica Rose? Did she come back with you?"

I shook my head and felt my heart grow heavy. "No, she didn't. She's quite safe right now, but she didn't come with me."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Molly. I just want to see Madison."

The older woman gave an understanding nod and smiled, taking me by the hand. "Well, you're in luck, Melissa, because _both _of your sisters are in Madison's office right now!"

"Let's go, then!"

I followed her through the kitchen and over to Madison's office, where the door was wide open. She was there, leaning back on the sofa and chatting animatedly with Emily who was on the floor playing with a baby boy who couldn't be older than five months. Emily held her arms out on either side of the little boy so she could catch him in case he fell over, even though he was perched in between his mother's legs, using them for support.

Emily noticed me first, and when she did, she gave a startled cry of surprise and got to her feet, scooping up her son as she went. I had about ten seconds before she was holding me close in a hug and crying happily.

"Melissa! You're back, you're back!"

"I am, and I'm never going to do anything like what I did _ever _again!"

I didn't want to let go of Emily, but the baby in her arms began making noises of protest about his personal space being invaded, so I pulled away and looked from him to Emily.

"Is this your son? Emmy, he's perfect!"

My sister smiled proudly. "This is mine and Thomas' boy, Dashiell. We call him 'Dash' for short."

I gave baby Dash a happy greeting and he immediately grabbed onto one of my fingers with his whole right hand, but he still seemed reluctant to come closer to me. When Emily reassured him that I was okay and that I was one of his aunties, he seemed to understand and all but jumped into his arms. I caught him and laughed more when he started cooing happily and giggling, like he'd known me forever.

"What am _I?" _Came a new voice. "Chopped liver?"

I jumped when I saw Madison was now standing by me because I hadn't noticed her get up, bur when I made to move toward her, I stopped short when I noticed a huge change about _her _appearance, especially in her midsection. She was _massively _pregnant!

"Look at you, Maddie! You look great!"

"I could say the same to you, Missy." She teased playfully. "A new hairstyle _and _a tattoo? I approve."

"Thanks…"

Madison gave me a hug and even though it was brief, I felt her baby move against me and nail me in the stomach rather hard. She pulled away and massaged her belly, smiling.

"Baby boy _really _doesn't like having his personal space invaded."

"You're having a boy? Oh, Maddie—"

"It's more like one boy and two _girls." _Emily interjected. "They're due to be born in two weeks."

"_Triplets?" _I gasped, not being able to get much further than that.

"Yes," Madison nodded. "And I'll fill you in on that in a bit, but sit down on the couch and I'll go and fix you a sandwich from the kitchen. You must be hungry."

This was true because I'd skipped breakfast. "I _am _pretty hungry right now…"

"Brilliant!" she chirped, already turning on her heel. "I'll be back in ten minutes."

I stared after her, very surprised because when she had been in the final homestretch of her pregnancy with Lucy, she had been flat out irritable and nowhere near this energetic.

"We've learned that it's just best to stay out of her way these days." Emily said as she came to stand next to me. "You'll understand when you're pregnant, Melissa, and I hope that it's going to be soon because Maddie and I _really _want a niece or nephew from _you _for us to spoil."

I blushed furiously at this and was at a loss for words because what she'd said had taken me that much by surprise. Emily took advantage of this and steered me back towards the sofa, saying that as long as I kept Dash entertained, she would gladly fill me in on everything I've missed.


	5. Reunions, Part Two

_Madison's office, The Q3 _

_Melissa's Point of View _

It didn't occur to me to even ask about the rest of the family until after I'd eaten the meal that Madison had made for me—a chicken romaine wrap just the way she knew I like it, a side of steamed vegetables, and a tall glass of chocolate milk from the carton she kept especially for her kids—and I felt guilty for not asking about them sooner.

"Where is everybody? Where are Nicolas, the twins and Lucy? Where is Thomas?"

Madison glanced at her watch and did some quick thinking. "Nicolas, Estella and Santiago should all be at our place, putting some nursery furniture together for me—did Emily tell you that Nicolas' parents moved to town?"

I nodded. "Yeah, she filled me in on some things a few minutes ago, and she also told me about Jim and Amaya being married."

"Good." She approved as she continued. "Lucy should be having her nap at the moment, but the twins should be on the way home from school on their bus."

"Today is Thomas' day off the rotation at the hospital, and I'm not on duty until the evening," Emily put in, her own Australian accent matching mine and making me feel content. "So if he isn't catching up on sleep, he's more than likely at Maddie's place, helping out or doing errands for Estella. He kind of has a schoolboy crush on her, and it's cute…"

Madison turned to me. "Would you like to go home?"

"Yes, I would."

Emily spoke up again, pulling her phone from her pocket, and I had the distinct impression that she was competing with Madison for my attention. "I'm going to call Thomas to see what's up, but I'm also going to call the Espositos and the Becketts because even if Jessica didn't come back with you, they're all going to want to see you, especially Yoshi, Bella, Jeffery and Sophia."

"They're also going to want to hear from you that Jessica is out of harm's way," added Madison. "And we'll protect you the best we can if somebody gets mad."

I just nodded and kept myself occupied with getting Dash ready to leave—he really didn't want me to let go of him—and I tried not to think about how Yoshi probably _was _going to freak out, anyway.

"We can also get hold of the Shaws, but Jordan is a little out of sorts."

Remembering what Fin and Mannix had been discussing at the Wolfhound Pub, I got a sinking feeling in my gut but played it safe because I didn't want anybody to know what I've been up to yet.

"What happened? Maddie, your tone makes it sound like someone _died." _

"Well… someone actually _did." _

"Oh, my God! Who?"

"Jordan's partner, Charles Avery—he was murdered." (I felt a mixture of guilt and sadness at this turn of events, but I kept myself occupied with Dash) "It was my publicist, Caitlan, who found him in the alley not so far from where we're sitting right now."

I wrinkled my nose, imagining what that sweet woman's frame of mind must have been like when she found the body.

"Poor Caitlan… is she okay?"

"She's fine, but I haven't heard anything from Jordan yet."

"I want to see her."

"Okay. What about Calvin?"

Luckily, I was kept from answering this question because one of Madison's employees came in to have a quick word with her, and Emily's phone rang at that precise moment. That left me to keep an eye on baby Dash, who was ready to leave but nodding off to sleep in my arms because it was time for his nap.

Holding a sleepy baby in my arms made my thoughts wander to about what it was going to be like when I was holding my own sleeping baby in my arms.

By the time my sisters were done taking care of business, they'd forgotten about asking if I wanted to see Calvin yet because I wanted to, but was beginning to get cold feet about it, especially because I wasn't sure of what he was going to make of all of the drastic changes in my appearance, moreover, the big scar on my face.

I felt like a coward for not wanting to see my boyfriend.

My mind was that consumed by my thoughts that I barely noticed when we pulled up to Madison's brownstone where I lived with her and her family, but I snapped back to attention when Emily told me to help Madison out of the car. (Apparently, part of the price that my oldest sister has to pay about being this active this far into a triplet pregnancy is that there's always at least one person hovering around her at all times to make sure that she doesn't accidentally go into labor early) I did as I was told while Emily tended to her son. We were barely past the front hall when I heard a pair of excited squeals and two pairs of little feet running across the floor in my direction.

It was my other two nephews, Ezekiel and Moses.

"TIA MISSY! YOU'RE BACK NOW!"

I got down on my knees right there in the middle of the walkway and held my arms wide open, beckoning them to come closer. They ran over and hugged me very tightly, but I didn't mind at all. Ezekiel and Moses were so excited that when they let go of me and started to ask me questions, their inquiries were overlapping and I didn't get a chance to get a word in edgewise for a few moments.

"Tía Missy, why did it take so long?"

"What were you doin'?"

"Don't _ever _do _anything _like that _ever _again, okay?"

"We both missded you, but so did Lucy-boo. She's real bug now, by the way."

"Your haircut is real pretty. I—ooo! Is that a _tattoo?" _

"It's _way _cool!"

Nicolas finally intervened. "Okay, you two! We need to let her breathe because she has a few more people to see yet!"

My nephews finally relinquished their hold on me and backed away so Nicolas could help me to my feet.

"Are you ready to go into the living room? Both of my parents are in there with Thomas and Lucy? They all want to see you."

I told my brother-in-law that I was ready and followed him in, where I again had a few seconds to even breathe before I was being hugged in turn by my other brother-in-law, Thomas Ryan, and then by Nicolas' loving parents, Santiago and Estella Álvarez. I was quite happy to see all of everybody, especially since I already knew Santiago and Estella from when they had invited my family to their house in Argentina when Madison and Nicolas were engaged and also because they've treated me like a granddaughter for as long as I've known them.

Lucy was a different story.

I cut her some slack because she was just waking up from a nap, but as she sat perched in her father's arms, she gave me a very suspicious look. When I took a step closer, she pressed herself closer to Nicolas' body for safety.

"I know you don't recognize your Tía Missy," I told her in a gentle tone. "But that's okay because I haven't been around for awhile."

Lucy continued to shoot daggers at me with her eyes.

"I know something that's going to make you smile again, mija. It's our favorite nursery rhyme."

Seeing as Lucy is a little less than six months away from turning two, I knew that she could understand me and she showed it by leaning closer to convey her interest.

"Remember? It goes 'The barn owl, the barn owl goes shhhh, goes shhhh. Let's be in silence as the barn owl, who goes shhhh, who goes shhhh.' Do you remember now, Lucy-boo?"

She nodded slowly and seemed amused that I was using her pet name. "Say again. Español, p'ease!"

"Gladly. 'La lechuza, la lechuza hace shhhh, hace shhhh. Hágomas silencio, coma la lechuza, que hace shhhh, que hace shhhh.'"

Lucy immediately brightened and leaned towards me so I could hold her. I had to act quickly to get her secured in my arms before she launched herself like Dash had, back in Emily's office, and because Lucy was heavier than I thought, I had to sit down on the couch with her. I was barely settled when she sat on my lap, facing me and held onto my hands tightly.

"Long time no see you." She said with the utmost seriousness. "No like!"

"I am so sorry about that, Lucy-boo."

"P'ease no again."

I held one of her little hands to my lips and kissed it reassuringly. "Never again, I promise."

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against me for a snuggle, which I was more than glad to give her. It was at this point that the twins climbed up onto the couch and sat on either side of me. Being the more curious and inquisitive of the two, Ezekiel spoke first, tapping me on the shoulder.

"Tía Missy, I gots a question for you.

"What's that, Zeke?" I asked, giving him my full attention.

"What happened here on your face?" he gingerly touched a finger to my scar. "Did someone hurt you?"

"Yeah, they did. It was a few months ago."

"Hurting people isn't a nice thing to do, 'specially when you get scars after." Ezekiel paused for a moment, thinking things through in his mind, but then he frowned. "Tía Missy, shall I go find that person to tell them that hurting people isn't a nice thing to do?"

"That's a sweet offer, mijo, but I'm going to be okay."

"Are you sure about that?"

Satisfied by this, he snuggled into my side, no doubt relishing the feeling the feeling of my body being next to his own after all this time. Moses took this as an opportunity to me.

"You know what, Tía Missy?"

I shook my head. "No, Momo. Do tell."

"Even though you have another scar now," like his brother, he touched the scar on my face in a cautious manner. "I still think you're super-duper pretty like you always are."

He gave me a peck on the cheek and followed that up with a big hug.

"Thank you so much, Momo." I whispered, returning his hug. "I needed that."

"You're welcome." He chirped. "It makes me so sad when _you're _sad, but it makes my heart extra happy when you start smilin' again. Same goes for when I see mama sad, but it goes even more for when I see my Bella like that."

"Are you going to marry your Bella when you two are grown-ups?"

To my surprise, he was able to answer that question without blushing. "Yep! I'm gonna take her to the zoo—the one at Central Park. When we get to the penguin essibit, I'll get down on one knee, show her the ring that I pickded out, say some mushy stuff 'cause that's the p'op'osin' part, and then I'll ask her to be my wife!"

"That sounds like a perfect plan, and I hope that you tell _me _first about how it all goes."

Moses laughed in amusement. "Of _course _I'll tell you about it first! You're my Tía Missy, and after mama, you're just as good as she is! You're my Tía Missy… and I _love _you!"

My heart turned to mush at this and I gave Moses a little kiss on the forehead, but I had to separate myself away from him, his brother and their sister so I could get up to excuse myself from the room so I could go upstairs to my own. As I made it to the second floor, I noticed that a door was open and when I peeked in, I realized that I was looking in on a nursery. It was nicely decorated, but what caught my attention were the cribs.

All three of them were assembled, but two of them were side-by-side at the windows while the third sat awkwardly in the middle of the room, as if there wasn't a place for it.

But that's when it hit that there wasn't.

The third crib was waiting to into another bedroom—mine.

(Ugh. On top of all of these feelings to sort through, there's all of this drama about Madison's babies! I'm super excited to be an auntie again, but this means that I'm going to have to move out to let Madison and Nicolas turn my room into a nursery for the boy triplet. That's going to be an interesting, but in the end, me leaving is going to be for the best because I know that Madison and Nicolas know that me living in their house was only ever temporary)

I left the nursery and hurried into my bedroom, going straight into my bathroom, where I immediately shut the door behind me and collapsed on the floor in a sobbing mess.

Even though I know that I give off a bad-ass vibe like Jessica Rose does, crying is the only way I know how to get my feelings out without causing myself any physical harm. I could _never _cut myself if I was ever _that _far gone because it would be a huge slap in Calvin's face because he struggled with the same problem for a long time.

"Melissa?" somebody called my name through the door a little while later. "Melissa, it's Maddie!"

"Go away!" I sobbed. "_Leave!" _

"No! Not until you tell me what's going on! Why are you crying?"

"Madison, I don't even know where to start!" I continued to sob. "I really don't! There are so many crazy feelings that are floating around inside my head right now that I don't know how to put them into words!"

There was another beat of silence, and then another voice. "Melissa, it's Emily. Could you _try _to tell us at least _one _thing that you're thinking about?"

"What if Calvin doesn't want me anymore? I have this big ugly scare on my _face, _and by definition, that means that I'm _disfigured _more than I was on the night I got the scars on my stomach, back and arms! What if Calvin thinks I'm ugly and undesirable now?"

"Why don't you ask him?"

My stomach bottomed out at this. "What?"

I heard the sound of retreating footsteps and then the sound of another person on the floor moving closer to the door so that they were leaning against the door like I was.

"I'm here, Bird."

"C-Calvin?" (My heart almost stopped from the knowledge of knowing that my beloved was there, but I turned into a bucket of emotions all over again when he used my extra-special pet name) "Calvin, babe, is that you? Is that really you?"

"Yes, it is. Please open the door?"

"No!"

"Please?" his voice was pleading. "The twins did a good job of informing me that you've chopped off lots of your hair and that you're a _redhead _now!"

"Did the boys tell you about the tattoo?" I asked in spite of myself.

"They did, yes, but all I really want is to hold you in my arms again. It's been _way _too long since I've been able to do that."

"Are Emily and Madison still there?"

"Nope. They've left and they've shut the door behind them, so it's just us up here."

"Okay. I'm getting up now."

Rising to my feet, I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, counted to three and opened the door.

And there he was.

His face was tearstained, but there he was…

_Calvin. _

Time suddenly seemed to stand still, and I don't know how long we were in the threshold, but I had a little start when Calvin moved first, simultaneously kissing me and pinning me up against the far wall of the bathroom, next to the shower stall. We traded kiss after kiss for a minute or so, and I won't lie—I enjoyed having him feel me up because it was reassurance for me that he was even _there, _and I could feel him turn to putty under my touch when I pulled him closer to me.

After a few moments, we pulled apart, but I continued to lean against the wall, unwilling to let go of his hand.

"What do you think of me, Calvin?" I asked him, studying his face. "Do I still look pretty to you?"

"Oh, Melissa," he breathed, brushing a hand over side of my face in a loving way. "You're so much more than that—you're the most beautiful person I've ever seen in my entire life, and you always have been."

I blushed furiously. "Even though I've been covered in scars for as long as we've known each other?"

"Beauty comes from pain."

"Yes, it does, and I'll never deny it, especially because I told you those words first."

I let go of his hand and turned his wrists over so I could trace the scars there, but he caught my hands and then leaned forward, pressing light kisses to my scar.

"Melissa, your heart is what makes you beautiful, and I love you just the way you are."

"Do you still believe that our scars—that is to say: yours and mine—still make us the people that we are now?"

"Always."

I was quiet for a minute, just looking at Calvin—his tall and muscular build, his emerald green eyes, the short red hair on top of his head, his red freckles…

"What is it?"

"Calvin, I did a lot of thinking while I was gone, and lots of it was about _us." _

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Uh-huh. I decided that I'm ready for all of it—getting our own place, being your fiancée and then your wife… having babies…"

"R-really?" he stuttered, clearly not expecting that.

"Really." I pulled him in for a searing kiss and laughed when he seemed to be in a daze afterward. "Question is, though: are _you _ready?"

"I've been ready for a really long time, Melissa."

"What if we made a baby today?"

"That wouldn't really be so bad."

I nodded, but as I did so, my clothes and shoes felt too confining and I bent down to undo to the laces. I didn't mean for it to happen, but I began to undo the laces on my combat boots in a frenzied manner because I suddenly felt like I was wearing cement blocks on my feet. This behavior alarmed Calvin and he straightened me back up, looking concerned.

"Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?"

I hoisted myself up onto the counter and continued undoing the laces. "These clothes are not mine. I mean, they are _now _because they were given to me, but I'm tired, dirty, and I want to wear my _own _clothes that are _clean! _I also want to be with you!"

I started crying again and Calvin his arms around me in a comforting hug while he patiently waited for me tears to turn into sniffles before speaking again.

"It's okay, Melissa. It's all okay because I have a plan."

"You do?"

"Indeed." He confirmed. "We'll get you out of those boots and clothes and into the shower."

"What about you? Are you coming?"

His eyes twinkled with amusement. "Of course! Who's going to take care of you?"

Thirty-five minutes or so later, we had showered together, but the reason that it took so long was because I wanted to wash my hair, but was too tired to do it myself, so Calvin did it for me, taking his time. After that, we made love to each other. Twice.

And after all that, both of us lay on my bed, quite naked but wrapped up in the sheets, content to be in each other's arms once again.

I felt so blissed out that I could hardly keep my eyes open. My last conscious memory before closing my eyelids was of Calvin reassuring me that it was okay to sleep because he was going to be there when I woke up.

_Calvin's Point of View, One hour later _

Melissa fell asleep right away, but I didn't sleep and I think that's because I was afraid that if I _did _close my eyes, she would be gone again, but this time without a letter of explanation…. because that's what happened last time we were in bed together—she wasn't there when I woke up, but she left behind a behind a very beautiful note for me. I've forgiven her for that, and I'll make sure she knows, but the memory of waking up without her when I had fallen asleep holding her still hurts.

I watched my girlfriend sleep, and I think that she was aware of it, even in that state of mind, because she moved closer to me all on her own, seeking comfort. At one point, she started tossing and turning because she was having a nightmare, but I was able to calm her again by whispering to her about the first thing that came to my mind—our future together, especially our kids. It made her feel better, and she started relaxing again a few minutes later and smiled broadly even though I knew she was fast asleep.

Melissa Paisley Queller is my one-and-done.

(But I've always known that)

Speaking of which, before I left my house to come over here, I remembered to retrieve the Tiffany's box from my bedside table drawer, the box that contained the ring that my sisters and I picked out in January…

This is it, today is the day.

I'm going to propose to Melissa when she wakes u—

"Calvin? What time is it?"

Leave it to Melissa to wake up from a nap and inquire about the time, first thing.

"Just an hour," I told her after a glance at the clock on her bedside table. "And you looked like you were having nightmares at one point. Do you feel better now?

She nodded. "I do, and I was having some very pleasant dreams that I'll tell you about later, all right?"

I forced myself to nod so I could stay in the present so I wasn't too mesmerized by her Australian accent. There will be other opportunities for that.

"Are you okay?" she asked curiously. "You seem distant."

"I'm fine, Missy, I swear." Leaning down, I kissed her on the forehead to reassure her. "Don't go anywhere, okay?"

She sat up and wrapped herself in the sheets, promising not that she wouldn't while I hurried into the bathroom. I got as far as putting on my boxers and pants—I couldn't find my shirt—before Melissa called out to me, asking what was taking so long. I pulled the ring box out of my pocket and held it behind my back before going back to Melissa's bed where she was waiting for me.

"_There _you are." She teased. "What were you up to?"

"Melissa, I love you _so _much—I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. Remember when I called you my soulmate?"

She nodded. "I remember that day perfectly, and I love you just as much."

"I don't ever want to be away from you again because these months you were gone were absolute torture because of how much I missed you."

"I'm so sorry about that. I missed you, as w—"

Keeping the box hidden behind my back with one had, I used the other hand to put a finger to her lips, quieting her for a minute.

"Shhhh, Melissa, it's okay." I soothed. "Do you know why?"

She shook her head.

"It's okay because I forgive you for all of that. You were doing something that helped bring a little bit of justice and hopefully _closure _to Johanna Beckett's death, but I forgive you for taking off like you did. I won't deny that I was angry, because I was, but I worked it out and made peace with it, so… I forgive you."

Silent tears poured down Melissa's cheeks and I could tell that these were tears of relief. She was quiet because she was at a loss for words. I took that as a cue to show her the box and open it.

Overwhelmed and surprised at the same time, she started crying harder.

"Melissa, I want to spend the rest of my life with you and do all of that fun stuff we talk about—enjoying a long and wonderful marriage, having lots adventures, getting a place together and raising our yet-to-be conceived babies together." I held the ring out a little closer. "Will you marry me?"

Her answer was immediate. "Yes, Calvin! Yes!"

My heart rose into my throat at this because I've always known that she was going to say yes, but just hearing her answer made my heart flip-flop a few times. I barely remembered to show her the inscription on the inside of the band before slipping it onto her left ring finger.

Melissa Paisley Queller is my fiancée now.

She and I are going to be married.

That means that she's going to be Melissa Paisley _Shaw. _

"Calvin," she said after a moment of contented silence in which she had been admiring her new ring. "The house has gone awfully quiet down there, and I'm sure that Thomas and Emily are gone, but I don't hear Santiago, Estella, Nicolas or any of the kids."

"Knowing Estella, she's probably gone to the supermarket to go shopping to get ingriedients for a big meal for a welcome back party for you she that suddenly decided to host."

"That sounds just like her…"

"She probably roped Santiago into it."

"What about the kids and Nicolas?"

"Zeke, Mo and Lucy would have willingly gone with Estella and Santiago because they _love _spending time with their grandparents." I mused. "Nicolas would have tagged along to keep an eye on the kids, _and _to make sure that the shopping doesn't get out of hand."

Melissa smiled at this and shook her head in amusement. "Does that leave us with Madison?"

"No, actually. Mom is here, keeping an eye on her. We can see dad and Justice and Jubilation later, but mom came with me because she really wants to see you."

"I suppose I should get dressed, then." My fiancée extracted herself out of my hold and headed towards her closet where she immediately started looking through the dresser drawers for underwear, obviously not wanting to be naked much longer. "Providing that nobody has gone through my closet since I've been gone, I bet that your stash of clothes are still in here, including your shirts."

Melissa then became so preoccupied with getting dressed that it was a minute before she realized that I hadn't moved, and that I was just watching her with lots of love and adoration… among other things.

"Something you want to share?"

"Other than that my gorgeous future wife is finally _home?" _

Melissa blushed bright red. "Yes, love, besides that."

"I feel as if I'm the luckiest guy in the world right now."

For that, she laughed and made a show of blowing me a kiss. I caught it and tucked it into my pants pocket, hands free just in time to catch a shirt that she had picked out for me.

_Melissa's Point of View _

Once Calvin and I were fully clothed, we headed down to the kitchen where Madison was camped out on the padded window seat that looked out into the little back yard, and Jordan was working at the granite island in the middle of the room… _baking? _

Calvin spotted what his mom was doing and physically steered her away from what she was doing.

"Mom, no!" he said authoritatively. "I'm sorry about what happened to Avery, but _enough _with the baking! Half the reason you came with me was because dad said that three dozen muffins of different varieties and two dozen cookies is more than enough for our family right now!

(Looking around, I saw one big wicker basket full of muffins and a smaller one full of chocolate chip cookies on the kitchen table)

"But Calvin, I need—"

"No," he repeated and then pointed in my direction. "And besides—Melissa is here to see you."

The older woman gave a cry of surprise when she saw me that made even Madison jump a little, but when Jordan hugged me, I didn't want it to end because her warm hugs have always reminded me of the ones that my mum had given me all the time.

"Jordan, I'm so sorry about what happened to your partner." I told her with complete sincerity. "My sisters filled me in a little bit."

"You are very sweet, dear." (She smiled at me, but it didn't quite reach my eyes because she was grieving for her fallen long-time FBI partner) "You are very sweet, and I appreciate the sympathy, but I'd rather talk about anything else right now."

"Something like this, maybe?"

I showed Jordan my ring with a flourish and she squealed happily, clapping her hands together like she was a little kid. She hugged me close and then passed me to Madison, who had gotten to her feet with some help from Calvin. As happy I was to show my ring off, I felt a pang of sadness that neither one of my parents were alive to celebrate in the joy with us. Calvin realized this and pulled me aside.

"What's up? Are you missing your parents?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "And I want to see the others."

"Well, Yoshi is working over in the Garment District right now, but I know that he's going to be over here, mostly likely with Bella, when his shift at Target is done."

"What about Alexis and Ashley and Tobias?"

"Alexis and Toby were in a car accident yesterday, Melissa."

My mouth dropped open at this, and for the second time in a few hours, I was at a loss for words, but this time, I was filled with worry and concern.

"Alexis came out of it with a sprained wrist and a few bumps and bruises, but Tobias broke his leg and had to have it surgically repaired before it could be set in a cast. Ashley missed the accident because he was on a train to New Jersey."

"Good God. Is Ashley at the hospital with them?"

"If he's not working or doing errands, then yes. I saw him yesterday evening and he and Alexis told me that they're going to be living in the hospital for awhile while Toby starts physical therapy because it would be more convenient—"

"Wait a second." I held my hands up in a time-out position. "Toby is getting physical therapy? He's only _one!" _

"He's getting the therapy to learn how to walk again because right now, he can't really support his own weight on one leg. If he makes good progress after a little while, he can go home."

"We have to see them, Calvin. Please?"

"Of course! We just need to make sure that my mom and your sister notice us before we go because it sounds like they're already planning our wedding for us."

"If it keeps Jordan from being sad, then just let them."

My fiancé smiled gratefully at this but still made it known to his mother and Madison that we were leaving. To their credit, they paused long enough to say goodbye before resuming wedding talk.

(I wonder if Calvin will be okay with putting the event off for awhile…)

After a drive across town, which was made longer than it should have been, thanks to the afternoon traffic, we had arrived at the Saint Brigid Hospital and were halfway down the corridor for the long-term pediatric patients when we ran into Ashley, who was extremely happy to see me and even happier to learn of mine and Calvin's engagement. As he led us to Tobias' room, I saw that he had an extra spring in his walk that I couldn't figure out.

"Lex!" our friend called out to Alexis when we walked into the room. "Lex, look who I found just now!"

Alexis looked up from where she was perched on the child-sized bed, reading a book to her son. There was a blur of red hair before I found myself being hugged tightly by my precious friend.

"Melissa Paisley," she said in a firm tone as we pulled apart. "I missed you so much, but you have to promise me that you're _never _going to do anything like that _ever _again."

"Okay, Alexis, I promised." I told her. "Lucy has already made me promise that I wouldn't, but I'll promise again that I won't."

"Good!"

I held her out at arm's length, looking her over. "Something seems different about you, and I can't quite put my finger on it."

Alexis laughed nervously. "Well, Ashley and I—"

She was cut off by Tobias, who chose this moment to make himself known, and if he hadn't been doped up on pain medication, I knew that he would have yelled with joy… but I could feel my heart turned over when he recognized me, despite the changes in my appearance.

"Tía Missy, Tía Missy! You back now!"

I sat next to him on the bed, careful not to bump his injured leg and gave him a light hug. My godson didn't even mind when I gave him a kiss on the top of his head.

"That's right, Toby. I'm here, and I'm not going to take off and leave."

"Not nice at all." He huffed.

"Would you feel better if I read a book to you?"

Tobias nodded reluctantly and looked over to Alexis. "When Doca Rissy comin'?"

"In a little while, baby boy. It's okay if you look at a book with Tía Missy."

Tobias was happy with this and immediately began looking through a pile of books next to him.

"Who is 'Doca Rissy'?" I asked his parents.

"Toby means his physical therapist, Doctor Iris Ravensdale." Explained Ashley. "He can't say her title or either of her names properly, so 'Doca Rissy' is the best he can do."

"He also has a crush on her." Alexis added with a giggle. "It's really cute, and I think it's to do with her English accent."

Right on cue, Tobias blushed bright red and looked up. "Doca Rissy is a beau'fu' Eng'ish rose!"

Ashley and Alexis had to excuse themselves out to the corridor for a moment so they could have a laugh about their son's infatuations. Tobias didn't notice his parents' departure because he had a new book picked out _(Pumpkin Soup), _and he was asking Calvin to read with us.

About twenty minutes later, when Tobias was vegged out on my lap and his parents had found out about mine and Calvin's engagement and they surprised us with news about their marriage, Doctor Iris Ravensdale appeared in the doorway, and I immediately saw why Tobias had a crush on her. She dressed in blue hospital scrubs a lab coat and sneakers, but she was of medium sized height and had a lean frame similar to Sophia Beckett's, had hazel eyes and had dark red hair that was almost brown. All of that must make Tobias think of his mother.

Doctor Ravensdale was also pregnant and definitely showing for it.

She greeted Ashley and Alexis, and they in turn introduced her to Calvin and me as Tobias' godparents, our rightful titles.

"Toby is about to start his first physical therapy session, if you two want to come observe, you may. Who knows?" she mused, her English accent very noticeable. "Maybe Toby will get encouraged with his parents _and _godparents there."

"We'll come as long as Ashley and Alexis let us."

The couple in question shrugged and spoke in tandem. "It's up to Toby."

I looked down at the little boy who was cuddled up against my stomach. "Is it all right if Tío Calvin and I come with you and your mama and daddy?"

He sat up and looked up at me with curiosity and tilted his head to the side. "Come wif to fizzle ther'py?"

"Only if you want us to."

"Yeah!" he glanced across the room to something in a corner and looked back at me. "Tía Missy pull wagon?"

"Sure thing, buddy! I just have to get up first!"

"Okay!"

I got off the bed and went over to the corner that Tobias had been looking at and spotted a brand new Radio Flyer wagon and rolled it over to his bed. Calvin helped Ashley put Tobias get settled while Alexis busied herself with tucking a bunch of blankets in with her son to make him feel comfortable and so he wouldn't tip over. When he was comfortable, Doctor Ravensdale showed us out of the room. Ashley and Alexis walked with her, and I walked slightly behind them, with Calvin walking alongside the wagon to keep an eye on Tobias.

I didn't join in any of the conversation because I was trying to figure out what was making Alexis glow, more than the fact that she was a newlywed… and I was also distracted my Doctor Ravensdale's baby bump that she kept a hand on, moving it methodically every other minute, like she was tracking her baby's movements.

When I'm pregnant, is my belly going to be cute and round like Doctor Ravensdale's?

Or is it going to be comically round like Kate's was when she was pregnant with Jameson?

Or… is it going to be huge, like Alexis' was when she was further along in her pregnancy with Tobias?

Before I could stop myself, I glided my hand over the lower part of my belly, and ever the observant one, Calvin saw this.

"Thinking about our babies?" he murmured in my ear.

"Most definitely," I murmured back. "And we can talk about it later, okay? We're at the physical therapy room."

Indeed we were.

As we entered and Tobias was getting situated, I looked around and realized that this was the room that Calvin had described to me when he was here for his own therapy sessions after he woke up from his coma—the bright and stimulating colored walls, the rows and rows of special toys on the shelves located around the room, and various sets of different-sized parallel bars used for practicing to walk.

It was around the smallest of these that everybody was gathered. Ashley and Alexis were at one end with Doctor Ravensdale and Tobias. Calvin was on the side of the bars, having been instructed to spot Tobias if he got that far, and I parked myself at the opposite end of the bars and watched.

"Come on, Toby." Doctor Ravensdale was sitting on her knees and Tobias was out of his wagon, but leaning against her legs with his back resting against her baby bump. "It's time to start now."

"No!" Tobias shook his head furiously. "Uh-uh!"

"Why not, huh?"

He hesitated a minute and then looked back at her. "I scared, Doca Rissy."

"I understand, Toby. Guess what?"

"Whassat?"

"When I was a little girl in England, I was in an accident just like you were, and I had to learn to walk all over again."

Tobias' little voice conveyed shock. "No!"

"Yep!" Doctor Ravensdale nodded and slowly began helping the little boy to stand. "I went to _my _doctor and she helped me to learn to walk again."

"Scary time fo' you?"

"It was at first, but I kept practicing and before I knew it, I could walk _and _run!"

This time, Tobias was full of awe. "Wow, Doca Rissy! Tha' awesome!"

"I'm glad you think so." She eased him onto his feet and helped him to hold onto the bars. "Are you ready to try now?"

Tobias' face became set with determination. "All ready!"

"That's the ticket!" the doctor got to her feet and stood next to him. "All you have to do is take as many steps as you can."

Tobias nodded in understanding and took a few steps with all of us cheering him on. Despite the blue plaster cast on his leg, he was a quarter of the way through before he collapsed on the floor, sobbing because of the pain he was feeling.

I watched as Ashley and Alexis immediately moved in and held their son close, telling him that he had done a really good job and that they were proud of him. Of course, it made me flashforward to the future again, and I had a vision of Calvin and me comforting our own child when they were in pain and in need of reassurance.

And again, I found myself gliding my hand over the lower part of my belly.

And again, Calvin saw me, but this time he held me close in a hug.

"All in good time." He whispered to me. "All in good time."

_A few hours later, Queller-Álvarez house _

After Tobias' physical therapy session, Calvin and I left the hospital and we spent some time together on our own, taking a long walk in Central Park. After we'd been gone for while, we decided to go back to Madison's house, whereupon we saw just about all of our friends because they had all been able to make it to the impromptu welcome back party that Estella had decided to throw in my honor. Even Ashley was able to leave his wife and child for awhile (he said that Alexis told him to come).

Everybody was happy to see me, like I thought they would be, but when I saw the Espositos and the Becketts, the feeling of intense dread that I'd been feeling ever since my return intensified because I realized that this was the moment when I would have to explain to Lanie, Javier, Jim, Amaya, Yoshi, Jeffery and Sophia about why Jessica Rose didn't come back with me. Calvin and Ashley flanked me for support and I was particularly glad that we were able to close the kitchen door separating us from everybody else. I was extra glad that Bella wasn't in the room because her poor little heart would not be able to take this conversation.

Lanie cut to the chase. "Where is Jessica?"

"She's in Hell's Kitchen, at a shelter."

"What in the world is she doing _there?" _

"Jessica was just too tired to keep going and had to stop to put her feet up and stay awhile at a shelter that we found. I didn't want to leave her, but she made me do it."

"Why is she tired?" inquired Javier. "Aren't _you?" _

"Yeah, but not as much as Jessica would be." I took a deep breath and slowly let it out because the next part was going to be the hardest. "Jessica Rose is six months pregnant."

There was a stunned silence in the room as everybody processed this. (Calvin let me lean against him for support and I appreciated it because while we had been walking in Central Park, I ended up telling him everything because I just couldn't keep it inside any longer) Almost at the same time, we all turned to look at Yoshi to see what he made of it, and the poor guy looked like he was about to cry.

"J-Jessie is pregnant? I-I'm going to be a dad?"

Jim spoke next, and it was to Yoshi. "You found her? You knew where she was at one point?"

Yoshi nodded mutely.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I couldn't!"

"Why not?"

"Because if I told _anybody, _the wrong people at this table! They killed Kate's mother and my father! They kidnapped _Calvin's _mother and severely injured Calvin, and just when you think it couldn't get any worse, these people attacked Melissa and killed _both _of her parents _in front of her!" _

Jim didn't look all too happy about being addressed in this manner by his own stepson; much less about a topic that we all knew had caused lots of agony and discord for him and Kate.

(Speaking of whom, I was glad that she wasn't here because she wouldn't have been able to handle this too well, either)

"Don't talk to me about those things! _Ever! _None of this is a game, Kiyoshi—it's real life!"

"I know that!" Yoshi fired back. "I _love _her, and she's practically my _wife! _Aren't you supposed to go above and beyond for your wife or the mother of your kids, committing to them? I do that every day and all the time by waiting for her to come home, making plans for our future together, _and _by watching over Bella! I'm the only real father figure that precious child has ever had!"

We all stared at him in shock, surprised that he was even angry because he's normally so reserved.

"By not saying where she is or even telling _how _I found her, that's _protecting _her. I honestly can't imagine the rest of my life without Jessica there, and I know that the rest of her family members couldn't, either, _especially _Bella! She's only six and has gone through more things than most kids her age have, so again—by not revealing Jessica's location, that's ensuring at least a little bit that she'll be able to get back here safely and hold her baby girl again!"  
Yoshi was on his feet now.

"Jessica Rose and Gabriella are my family, and I will do _whatever _it takes to protect them, Jim, so don't you dare sit there and tell me that this isn't a game! Sometimes love is about taking a risk, and you took that risk when you fell in love with Kate's mother and then found out about her _other _job!"

Jim's mouth dropped open at this, clearly surprised that Yoshi knew about Johanna's FBI career, but he didn't say anything. I wasn't sure if he even could.

"Yes! _I _know, _too! _You even took that risk when you fell in love with _my _mother because of the whole age gap thing! Love is about taking a risk or two every now and again!"

With that, he stormed out the backdoor into the backyard. Calvin, Ashley and I were right behind him.

Yoshi looked even more of a mess, but before I could move to comfort him, Calvin had rushed forward and had him pinned up against the side of the house.

"WHAT THE HELL, MAN? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT YOU WERE LEAVING TO GO FIND JESSICA? I COULD HAVE COME WITH YOU TO SEE MELISSA!"

"I DIDN'T TELL YOU BECAUSE AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS, YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AS CLOSE AS A BROTHER, AND I PROTECT WHAT'S MINE! YOU ALMOST DIED ONCE, AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO BEFORE IT'S YOUR TIME!"

Even though I was telling Calvin to let go of Yoshi, he wasn't listening because he was obviously seeing red. Ashley saw a segue and ran forward, pulling them apart. I barely took a breath before he had _Calvin _pinned up against the side of the house.

Yoshi and I were both so taken aback by this that we stepped out the line of fire, and Yoshi even put a protective arm around my shoulder, just in case.

"Don't you _ever _lay a hand on Kiyoshi Serizawa!" Ashley snarled in a tone I'd never heard before. "He is Alexis' uncle, and Alexis is my _wife _now, meaning that Yoshi is also part of _my _family! I protect what's mine as much as you, Yoshi or Melissa do, and I'll defend my own however I see fit! Do you understand?"

Calvin pushed Ashley away and straightened his clothes out, nodding. We all took a minute to breathe regularly again, and in that time, Yoshi turned to me.

"So Jessie is pregnant, and I'm going to be a dad again?"

(How cute is it that he used the word 'again'? That means that he thinks of Jessica's other child as his own flesh and blood)

"That's right, Yoshi. I've even felt this kid kick me, and it feels like you and Jessica have a future football player on your hands."

"Where is Jessica Rose? Where did you leave her?"

"At a shelter in the 43rd street area of Hell's Kitchen."

Yoshi turned to leave, but I caught him by the wrist.

"Are you going to go collect her?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well, don't! Jessica might not even be there because she would be on the move to come back here!"

"But I _have _to go find her! She's pregnant, for crying out loud! Let me go!"

"NO!"

"_Why?" _

I let go of him and fished out a sonogram snapshot of that baby that Jessica had given me to give to Yoshi, and I spoke to my friend in a gentler tone.

"Because, mijo, Bella would never forgive you if you were also gone. Every little girl needs their daddy." I pressed the sonogram into his hands and watched as he studied it thoroughly. "And besides—who is going to go back in the house to tell Bella that she's getting a brother?"

That did it for Yoshi because he knelt down to the ground and began crying with joy.

"I have a son? Oh, my God—I have a _son." _

Calvin, Ashley and I each tried to comfort him, but he was back in the 'don't-you-dare-touch-me' mode and wouldn't let us get near him. We stayed back and watched him cry, but after a few minutes, he was able to get it under control, wipe his tears and get up to go inside to find his daughter.

Luckily, she was in the kitchen, and the three of outside had a clear view of the two of them through the big picture window as he knelt down beside her on the kitchen floor and showed her the sonogram. We all watched for a few moments as she studied the picture, and once Bella realized what she was looking at, we saw her jump up and down in excitement before hugging Yoshi around his neck.

What a happy moment.


	6. Reunions, Part Three

**This chapter is for all of the people who are fans of Jessica, Yoshi and Bella :)**

_A few days later, April 30 _

_Saint Brigid's Hospital _

_Jessica Rose's Point of View _

It feels weird, not having Melissa at my side after all this time, acting as my eyes for the world around me, but I keep telling myself that I'll be with her and the rest of my loved ones again soon.

I stayed at the shelter from the night that she and I arrived all the way up until this morning, resting and trying to coax my unborn son into a regular sleeping routine. I would have left sooner and Destiny was going to come with me, but we were delayed because my boy was being unpleasant by suddenly choosing to kick up a storm, making it impossible for me to walk without experiencing a lot of discomfort.

Destiny and I planned to leave when I was feeling better, but she went into labor before that happened and was taken to the hospital while I was fast asleep and dreaming of playing with my son who was happy and not as fidgety as he was being. When I woke up, my baby was acting normal, thank goodness, but… I haven't been able to find out what hospital Destiny was taken to, and it really breaks my heart because I've become fond of her, _and _because she actually wanted to come back with me to meet my parents to ask if they would help her put her daughter up for adoption.

I just keep praying that she and her baby are happy and in good health right now…

And after some serious negotiation with one of the shelter employees, I was able to catch a ride into Midtown, but I only got as far as the halfway point to the hospital because the person I caught a ride with was on a very tight schedule and couldn't take me any further.

So… I walked, ignoring the snide comments from passerby about a woman in my condition and with my disability walking the street without any assistance and held my head higher when they started making assumptions and calling me bad names. The same thing had happened when I was on the streets while I was pregnant with Gabriella and I got into more than a few arguments, but I've come a long way since then and I know better than to act like that. Being a mother has made me more mature.

It took a really long time to get to the hospital, and I've only just arrived at what I think is the front entrance, and as I found my way to a bench, I perked up when I heard someone calling my name with lots of enthusiasm.

"Jessica Rose Esposito!"

The heavy Australian accent was a dead giveaway for me and I turned to face her.

"Emily, hi!" I pulled her into a hug and was quite happy when she returned it. "I'm back!"

"Indeed you are, and I'm so happy to see you!" she pulled away and felt her touch a hand to my baby bump. "And look at this—you're pregnant!"

"That's right!" I actually giggled as I felt my son start to flip over theatrically in response to Emily going into 'doctor mode' and began prodding my belly gently to make sure everything was okay. "He's definitely in there, and he _loves _to kick me or turn flips."

"Yoshi told everybody about the baby a few days ago, on the day that Melissa came back."

"So he's excited to be a daddy, then?"

"Very much so." She answered as she withdrew her hand. "Your man almost fainted."

"That doesn't surprise me at all." I giggled again when I realized that Yoshi is probably the kind of guy who passes out in the delivery room even though I'm the one who's going to be doing all the hard work. "What about Gabriella? Does she know that she's going to get a baby brother? She's been begging me for a brother since she was four!"

"Bella talked herself hoarse."

"That doesn't surprise me, either."

Emily got to her feet and pulled me up with her.

"I need you to ask you a serious question before we get any further."

Quite pleased that Emily was going to take care of me, I responded quickly. "Go for it."

"How well can you see me right now?"

My bottom lip trembled as I was once again confronted with a horrible thought—what if my sight never gets back to what it had been to when I had the special glasses that helped with my blindness? What if I'm never able to see Yoshi or Bella? What if I'm never able to see my baby?

"Honestly, I can't see _anything _too well right now—it's all a big haze."

"How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted. All I want to do is put my feet up and hear that my boy is okay."

Emily gave my hand a gentle squeeze and started to guide me towards the building. "I'll get you all taken care of, and if you want, I can give you a baby-safe drug to help with sleep."

A little while later, I was in an empty patient room with Emily who had helped me change into a paper hospital gown and given me a physical check up and an ultrasound to check on my son. I almost fainted with relief to hear that he and I checked out normal, despite my inability to have access to a proper doctor for the first six months. Just for good measure, when I realized that I was dying of thirst and almost feeling overheated, Emily poured me a glass of water for me to drink, but also hooked me up to oxygen tubes to help me breathe and a saline IV drip to keep my electrolytes up so I didn't faint on her or while I was alone.

Just as Emily was helping me into the bed and arranging the blankets to make me comfortable, there was a knock on the closed door and my doctor-friend permitted the person to enter, and the next thing I knew, somebody was perched on the edge of the bed and hugging me close, at a loss for words.

And just like the Australian accent had been a tip-off to me about Emily, the smell of vanilla perfume let me know who this new person was…

"Amaya."

"That's right, angel." She pulled away but sill sat close. "I saw you come in with Emily and I tracked you down as fast as I could. You have no idea how _happy _I am to see that you and my grandbaby have made it home, safe and sound."

(Oh… since I'm pregnant with Yoshi's baby, that means that Amaya is the grandmother! It also means to a certain extent that Bella is her grandbaby, too!)

"We're safe and sound, but el niño has heard you and is kicking up a storm because he always does that when he hears a voice that is not mine."

I reached out for her hand and took it when she gave it to me, placing it over the area where my son was flipping theatrically again. Amaya and I both laughed when we felt a pair of elbows jab at us in a sharp manner.

"He's a happy kid already, and he's going to be even happier when his daddy and big sister start talking to him."

"Speaking of Yoshi and Bella, would you like me to call Yoshi so he can come here now?" the older woman asked, withdrawing her hand. "He doesn't work today, so he's been helping Bella with her lessons."

(It warmed my heart to the core to hear that Yoshi has picked up the task of homeschooling Bella while I've been away. Education is very important to my daughter, and even at a young age, her life ambition is already set: she wants to be a teacher and refuses to let her disability stop her)

"I would like it a lot if you called him, but will you please make sure that he tells Bella that I'm going to be asleep by the time they get here?" I lay back in my bed, trying to get comfortable as the baby stretched out inside me. "Could you also call Kate? She'll probably be near my parents."

"Of course." Amaya got to her feet and placed a motherly kiss on my forehead. "I'll start making calls now. Sweet dreams, Jessica Rose."

She left and Emily quickly tended to me, injecting the sleeping drug into my IV drip.

I was asleep in minutes.

_Twenty minutes earlier _

_Outside the Twelfth Precinct _

_Kiyoshi's Point of View _

Today is Johanna Beckett's birthday, and she would have been sixty-one this year. Needless to say, the tone in my house was a little downcast today, especially on the parts of Jim, Jeffery and Sophia.

When I picked Bella up from the Esposito house, she asked me why I was feeling sad and because I'm always honest with her, I explained the significance of today's date, April thirtieth. Naturally, she showed lots of sympathy and insisted that we get a bouquet of marigolds to put on Johanna's headstone before we carried on with our activities that we had planned for the day. Since my daughter is a very affectionate person with the mind of a wise old owl, she laid the marigolds down on the headstone herself, introducing herself to Johanna and giving her updates on her children, also adding that she thoroughly adored all of them, and just when I thought that Bella couldn't get any cuter, she thanked Johanna for sharing her kids with us. As a dad, Bella's conversation with Johanna's headstone made my heart fill up with all kinds of love and adoration for the wonderful but somewhat enigmatic little human being I call my daughter. As we left, Bella blew a kiss to the headstone with a final "I love you, Mama Joey!"

A little while later, we were having a walk in Central Park where I was giving Bella a lesson in Japanese vocabulary and I was telling her the Japanese words or phrases all for of the different things that she pointed out when she had another idea—buying a bouquet of daisies for Kate to surprise her with at work. Bella told me that she thought it would be a good idea because Kate might be feeling a little gloomy today and missing her mother, but deep down, I knew that Bella was missing her own mother something fierce. (I hope that Jessica is back by Mother's Day because Bella is looking forward to that day and will be extra inconsolable if Jessica isn't here) Cheering Kate up on an occasion like this was Bella's way of cheering herself up, and who am I to deny her of a little bit of happiness?

We left the park in search of a flower shop and found one just down the block from the precinct and after some help from the shopkeeper, Bella and I had a pretty bouquet of (what I was told) were pink, white and orange Gerber Daisies. When Bella mentioned that we were going to giving them to Kate, the captain of the Homicide Division at the precinct down the street, the shopkeeper stopped the transaction and gave us the flowers free of charge because out of the personal respect she has for the NYPD and other such public servants, she made it a store policy that she did not charge them or any of the purchases for them. I was deeply touched by this, but Bella just about melted because she thought it was a very sweet thing for the shopkeeper to do.

And perhaps because the shopkeeper just thought that Bella was very adorable, she even let her pick out a vase—again free of charge—and then fill it up with water to stick the daisies in since our destination wasn't all too far away. The shopkeeper even tied a ribbon around the vase in a fancy bow for a special effect before we left.

Now… here we are, in front of the Twelfth Precinct, and Bella is hesitating.

"Are you okay, Gabriella?" I asked her as we stood outside of the entrance. "You look like you're thinking hard about something?"

"I'm okay, daddy," (more for my sake than her own, she found the hem of my shirt and held on tightly with a viselike grip) "But I'm just rememberin' how I came here with mama and we didn't have a home yet. Now, I'm standin' here with you and even though I miss mama and I really want to meet my baby brother, I'm still really, really happy 'cause I have everything I've wanted for forever, even the bestest dadddy in the whole wide world!"

I felt my heart at that and wondered—not for the first time—what I've done to deserve a daughter who has a heart so overflowing with love, but before I could say anything to Bella, she spoke again.

"Okay, daddy! I'm ready to go in to surprise Tía Katie now!"

We went in, and when we got off on the floor of the Homicide Division, we ran into Lanie and Javier quickly, which I wasn't surprised about seeing as she works closely with this particular squad and he's actually a member of it. They were both surprised to see us.

"What are you two doing here?" Lanie inquired. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is _a-okay, _abuela." Bella reassured her and then indicated the flower vase I was holding onto. "We just came to cheer up Tía Katie 'cause today is Mama Joey's birthday and she might be feelin' kind of a little gloomy 'cause she misses her."

"That's a very thoughtful thing for you to do, niña. I know for a fact that Tía Katie _loves _flowers."

Bella beamed at this, feeling proud of herself, but she finally let me have my say.

"Is Kate in her office now?"

Javier nodded. "She just got back from a meeting with Internal Affairs. _Anybody _could use cheering up with a meeting with them."

I thanked the Espositos and headed over to Kate's office door with Bella, making sure that she didn't touch anything or get into anything that she wasn't supposed to. As we approached, Bella skipped ahead but heeded my instructions about knocking even though the door was wide open.

She listened to me and knocked in a polite way just as I caught and stood behind her.

"Tía Katie is it okay that me and daddy come in?"

Kate looked up from the files on her desk with a surprised expression on her face, but when she saw us, she grinned broadly and closed her files, pushing them to the side.

"Sure thing, Princess Bella."

My daughter squealed happily and then made a trilling noise when Kate let her climb onto her lap for a hug. Bella was quiet again after a few moments because she was trying as hard as she could to remember that part of a conversation is to let other people talk, too.

I shut the door behind me, approached my stepsister's desk and set the vase down on it. "We know that today is Mama Joey's birthday, so Bella got the idea to surprise you with flowers."

"That's very sweet of both of you. Thank you!" she pulled the vase close to her and inhaled the scent of the flowers. "These daisies smell very lovely."

"Bella," I spoke to my daughter this time as I sat down in the chair opposite Kate's desk. "Do you want to tell Tía Katie what else we did before heading over here?"

She nodded and turned to face Kate, choosing her words very carefully and annunciating everything as clearly as she could.

"Please do not be angry, Tía Katie. I love you lots and lots."

Kate gave Bella a reassuring hug. "Sweetheart, I could never be mad at you for anything, ever, do you understand?"

The little girl nodded again but didn't speak.

"Gabriella, as your auntie, I promise that you can tell me anything you want, _whenever _you want."

This finally broke through whatever shield Bella had set up around herself in case Kate got mad, and she started speaking again.

"Tía Katie, we went to visit Mama Joey's headstone."

Kate was a little taken aback by this, but not upset. "You did?"

"Uh-huh."

"What did you and Yoshi do there?"

"We broughted her flowers 'cause I think that those are cheery things, plus I heared _your _daddy say once that Mama Joey really liked flowers."

"She did, yeah." Kate leaned back and smiled when Bella continued to lean against her. "She liked flowers so much that she always made sure that there were fresh flowers in the house all the time. Guess why?"

Bella shrugged and looked over at me. "Do _you _have any guesses, daddy?"

"Not a single one, Princess."

Bella looked back at Kate, slightly crestfallen. "We don't have any guesses, Tía Katie. Why did Mama Joey like flowers?"

"Because when _her _mama was a little girl in Europe, she lived in the countryside where she went outside every day in the spring, summer and autumn to get fresh flowers to put in a vase on the table for her mama and daddy."

"That's nice." She smiled but then furrowed an eyebrow. "What about in the wintertime when it _snowed? _What did Mama Joey's mama do _then?" _

"Nana Olga would save the flowers, dry them and hang them upside down from the ceiling."

Bella giggled, thoroughly amused by the concept. "Did Mama Joey do that when you were as big as me?"

"Oh, yes, Bella—she dried flowers and hung them upside down a _lot." _

My daughter smiled but gave a sad sigh as she snuggled with my stepsister again. "Tía Katie, she sounded like she was a fun mama to have. I am so sorry that she's gone and I really wish that I could have meeted her."

"I wish that for you, too." Kate admitted to her as she gave her a backrub. "If my mama knew you, she'd be teaching you _and _Lily everything she knew about flowers."

"Did Mama Joey know lots of things about flowers?"

"Lots and _lots, _actually."

They both fell silent, their conversation having ended. Wanting to keep things going, I spoke to Bella again.

"Do you want to tell Tía Katie what _else _happened while we were visiting her mama?"

Bella grinned, nodding and once again looked up at Kate. "I tolded Mama Joey all about how you and mama and Tío Jeffery and Tía Sophie are doing, and that is 'cause all of you are her babies. Every mama _has _to know how their babies are doin'. I know _my _mama would want that."

"She definitely would," Kate agreed as her voice became thick with emotion. "And thank you for telling my mama about me, Jessica, Jeffery and Sophia."

"You're welcome! I pickded out the daisies for you 'cause I thought that they were cheery lookin' and that they might cheer you up if you're feelin' gloomy 'cause you might be missin' Mama Joey today."

Kate kissed Bella on the top of her head, running her fingers over Bella's dreadlocks. "I don't know how I can ever thank you enough today for thinking at that."

Bella smiled, but my heart broke in half when I saw how sad she was, no doubt thinking about Jessica, and even Kate looked heartbroken for her.

"Do you miss your mama, baby girl?"

"Yeah, Tía Katie, I do."

Kate did her best to comfort my daughter, but she was becoming grumpy—something that only happens every once in awhile. Despite that, Bella stayed on Kate's lap, which meant that she wasn't in too foul of a mood.

Right at that moment, Kate's office phone rang, making us all jump.

My sister leaned forward to examine the collar ID and smiled when she recognized the name and number as belonging to my mother. She pressed a button on the console and then leaned back in her chair to keep holding onto Bella, who was wanting nothing but cuddles from her precious auntie now.

"Hey, Amaya!" Kate called out towards the phone console. "You're on speaker phone with me, Yoshi and Bella!"

Mama's voice filtered through the speaker and she sounded… _relieved. _"Oh, thank goodness that I've caught all three of you together at the same time. Jessica is back, and she's here at the hospital."

Naturally, Bella and I were stunned into silence by this. I don't know what was going on in my daughter's head, only one thing was going through mine: _my beloved is back, which means that not only can I hold her in my arms and whisper sweet nothings into her ear if she so wishes it, but it also means that I'll be able to feel our baby boy move around! _

"What do you mean that she's back?" Kate was talking now, bringing me back to reality. "Where was she coming from? I heard from Alexis who heard it from Melissa and Yoshi that Jessica was in Hell's Kitchen this week, and that's a long way for someone in her condition to travel, especially since she doesn't drive and probably doesn't have a dime on her to pay for a cab or even subway fare!"

"God only knows how she got from Hell's Kitchen to the hospital, but the point now is that she's here, just a few doors down from where I'm sitting at the nurse's station."

I suddenly found my voice and was able to get a question in. "Mom, is Jessie asking for me and Bella?"

"She's probably asleep at the moment because she was at the point of exhaustion when Emily found her by the front entrance, but yes, your girlfriend was asking for you and Bella both."

I breathed a sigh of relief at this and got to my feet. "We're heading over there now."

"Okay, I—"

There was a sudden rush of activity on her end and we heard her issuing orders before getting back on the line with us.

"I have to go, loves."

Amaya hung up and so did Kate. There was a beat of silence in the office, but then she spoke to me in an authoritative manner, letting me know that she was all business.

"The Espositos have to know about this immediately, so I'm going to send Lanie a 911 text, but I want you to go get Javier from the bullpen and bring him back in here. If he protests, tell him it's on Captain Beckett's orders."

I got to my feet right away and left the room, finding Javier at his desk, up to his neck in paperwork. He looked happy for a break when he saw me, but he became serious when he saw my own serious expression.

"Yoshi, what is it?"

"You have to come with me right now."

Ha glanced back at all of the papers on his desk and then back at me. "I have a lot of work to do, though."

I was a little ticked off that he wasn't taking me seriously, but Kevin, who had been watching from his own desk, spoke up at this moment.

"I'll take care of it for you, Javi. Go ahead and go!"

Javier thanked him and followed me back to Kate's office where she said that she wasn't going to say anything until Lanie arrived because she didn't feel like repeating herself. Thankfully, Lanie appeared about two minutes later and Kate opened her mouth to speak, but Bella spoke first, still perched in Kate's lap.

"Mama's back, and she's at the hospital! Mama Amaya just callded us on the telephone, and she tolded us that!"

Lanie instantly burst into happy tears, as did Javier, and they held onto each other for support because they were so overwhelmed by emotion. Kate got to her feet, setting Bella down on the floor as she moved towards the Espositos.

"I'll give you two some time to collect yourselves and go get Grace and Leon from their babysitter, but I'm taking Yoshi and Bella to the hospital right now."

They agreed to this, but Javier quickly instructed me to retrieve a small and slender rectangular box from the corner of his desk where he kept his framed family pictures because this box turned out to be a carrying case for a new pair of specialty glasses that they had ordered for Jessica after finding out that her first pair were broken. I slipped the box into my messenger bag and hurried after my daughter and my stepsister.

Kate had absolutely no shame in turning on the sirens on her car to help us bypass the regular traffic, which meant that we were in the hospital in no time at all, and had arrived on Jessica's floor—the maternity ward's urgent care section—a lot faster than we would have been if Kate hadn't turned the sirens on in the first place. Mom intercepted us at the nurse's station, and I asked a question that I'd been thinking of since she hung up during the phone call.

"Mom, why did you have to hang up so suddenly on us?"

"Jessica had woken up screaming from an awful nightmare and then started having a full-fledged panic attack. I'm not in charge of her case, but it was all hands on deck. We got her calm and sleeping again, but she refused to even try to relax until I promised to stay with her for a bit. I've only just left."

I felt physically ill by the time she was done explaining these things and Kate caught me when my knees buckled, propping me back up.

"Which room is Jessie's?"

"Number twenty-five twenty-four." Mom answered promptly, pointing it out. "Fourth one on the left."

The words had barely left mom's mouth when I was already headed towards the room with Bella and Kate hurrying along after me. Arriving at Jessica's room, I went right up to her bed and reached out with a shaky hand to touch her cheek, just to reassure myself that after all this time, my girlfriend was actually in front of me and not just a figment of my imagination or an inhabitant of my dreams, as she frequently has been in the time that she's been away.

I sat down on the edge of the bed just to look at Jessica.

She was there, sound asleep in the hospital bed and hooked up to an IV drip in her arm to get her electrolytes back up and keep her hydrated. Oxygen tubes in her nostrils to help with breathing. Her long dreadlocks were spread out around her on her pillow and every single one of her tattoos really stood out because she seemed a little off-color, but I felt my heart turn to goo when I saw that both of her hands were resting on her big beautiful baby bump that was housing our child, nurturing him until he's ready to come out.

My heart actually skipped a beat as I thought about how she was protecting the baby even as she slept because I've seen her as a mother to Jessica, but I've never seen her as a mother to her unborn baby, and to see it now… well… it turned me into a bucket of emotions, especially knowing that the baby inside her is my child, too. I shook off the feeling and tentatively putting a hand to the area of her belly where her hands were and laughed when she didn't even stir. The only real difference was that she smiled happily, no doubt sensing I was near and having happy dreams because of it.

I felt all of the breath rush out of my body a few moments later when I felt the baby turn over and stretch out, curious about who this new person was, poking around his personal space, and I couldn't help it, but I started crying quietly.

Bella was at my side in an instant, climbing into my lap and wiping my tears.

"It's okay, daddy." she cooed, using a tone she uses with Grace and Leon. "It's all okay 'cause you and me and mama and my baby brother are _all _together now and it's gonna stay that way forever and always. That's all that matters."

I was a _complete _mess of emotions by now and didn't even _try _to hide it, and I was only vaguely aware of Kate handing me a box of tissues before saying that she was going to go find my mom and come back for a visit in a few hours.

I looked back at Jessica and thought that her belly looked a little big for six months, but I let it go because the sonogram picture I had showed only one baby. We would _know _if there were two.

(I guess this means that Jessica's belly is just going to be big. I better not do anything that will make her angry enough to make me sleep on the couch…)

Oh, my God!

Jessica is back now, _and _I've felt my unborn son _move, _too!

My family is reunited and the only thing that we have left to do is prepare for the arrival of the member in three months.

Wait.

Three months?

That's only ninety days to get everything ready!

…Oh, my God…

_One hour later, Jessica's Point of View _

When I woke up, I realized that I was still in my hospital bed, hooked up to various things, but I became confused when I felt extra weight on my body that wasn't my baby bump. Curious, I ran a hand along this extra weight and realized that it had come in the form of a little kid who had been burrowed against my side.

Said little kid rose up and giggled.

"Mama, that tickles!"

"G-Gabriella?" I gasped, trying to see harder through my field of hazy vision. "Baby girl, is that you?"

"Yep!" she chirped, giving me peck on the cheek before leaning against my baby bump. "I got tired, waiting for you to wake up, so I decided to take a nap with you and my brother."

Bella gave my belly an affectionate kiss and giggled hysterically because the baby was awake now and moving in response to feeling her touch. My daughter has felt unborn babies move before, but I think it was because _I'm _the pregnant one this time and because we've always been so close, it must be like a brand new experience for her. Seeing as she was now occupied, I called out to the room at large.

"Yoshi, baby, are you there?"

A split second later, a body was leaning against mine and there was a hand in the small of my back while I was being given the most passionate kiss I've ever been given in my entire life, and I reacted by leaning into it. When I pulled away, I could feel my heartbeat go up because of how excited the kiss made me, and the baby responded by giving me several kicks of annoyance, promptly sending Bella into a tizzy of laughter because she had not taken her hands off my belly because she was _that _fascinated by the baby's movements.

"Whoa…"

Yoshi chuckled as he propped me up with lots of pillows. "Does that answer your question?"

I nodded and began crying as I leaned into his arms. "Words can't even begin to express how much I've missed you."

"The feeling is completely mutual, Jessica Rose." He pulled me a little closer to me without compromising anything that I was hooked up to. "I've missed you so much and I'm sad that I've missed most of the pregnancy, but I'm glad that you _are _pregnant because we have our miracle baby now."

I nodded again and laid my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Yeah, we did."

Yoshi placed a hand on the underside of my belly, supporting it and I had to focus on not letting myself go (at the risk of scarring Bella for life), but it felt all kinds of right for Yoshi to be holding me like that.

"And you know what, Jessie?"

"Hmm?"

"I plan on being so obnoxiously hovery that I might very well drive you up the wall."

My heart melted because I was completely by myself when I was pregnant with Bella, and here was Yoshi, saying in not so many words that he was very excited and wanted to be with me every step of the way. Having that kind of love and support is new for me, and it's going to take some getting used to, but I appreciate it more than I've told him.

But I know he knows…

"Yoshi, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Our time together would have been still and peaceful if not for the fact that Bella was methodically tracking the baby's movements with her hands across my belly, pushing down gently every time the baby kicked against me or rolled an elbow just under the surface.

"Niña, what are you doing? I can feel every single one of those pokes, and so can your brother."

"I know." She leaned forward to give my belly yet another kiss through the fabric of my gown. "Me and him are playing tag!"

"Awww, that's really sweet. You love him already, don't you?"

"Very a lot, mama! I love him as much as I love Gracie, Leon and Keiko!"

She resumed playing tag with the baby, but I turned back to Yoshi.

"I know that Grace is my sister, but who are the other two?"

"Keiko is my baby sister, and she's one of the happiest kids you could ever want to meet." Yoshi explained proudly. "Leon is your brother, and he was born on Christmas Eve."

"So, you have a sister… and I have a brother?"

"That's right. Leon and Keiko are very close even though they're both tiny, and Bella fawns over them both."  
"How is she with Grace?"

He laughed. "They do just about everything together, Jessie. If your sister wasn't in daycare right now, there's a good chance that Grace would be here, accompanying us."

"Where _are _my parents, Grace and Leon?"

"We left them at the Twelfth because they needed to get themselves together because they were both a mess of emotion, and because they need to get your brother and sister from daycare. They should be here any minute now."

Before I could respond, Bella spoke to Yoshi, remembering something that had been previously forgotten.

"Daddy, daddy—you gotta give mama that thing that you got off Abuelo's desk!"

"Thanks for reminding me, Princess Bella." Yoshi said as he bent down to get something from his bag, which I assumed was on the floor, next to the bed. "It's really important."

"What's this, then, Yoshi?" I asked curiously. "What did my dad have on his desk?"

He straightened up and placed a small slender box into my hands and helped me to open it.

"Javier ordered you a new pair of specialty glasses to replace the pair that broke."

For the umpteenth time since I'd woken up to find that Yoshi and Bella were in my hospital room, all of the emotion made my heart feel as if it was overflowing with love because of something that someone had done for me on my behalf. All I could do was feel for the glasses, but my heart my fingers had turned to butter and I couldn't quite manage to retrieve them. Yoshi realized this and retrieved them for me, sliding them onto my face and arranging my hair so that none of my dreadlocks got stuck anywhere.

"Open your eyes, love." He said gently. "Please."

Not even realizing that I had shut my eyes in anticipation, I did as I was told and for a few seconds, everything was hazy, but then as if by magic, everything around me started sliding into focus, like someone was adjusting the focus on a camera.

But then, for the first time ever, I was looking at Kiyoshi Serizawa, the love of my life.

I took in his shaggy black hair, round-shaped face and flat nose, and when I leaned closer to study him more, he took my hands in his and placed them on his cheeks. Yoshi smiled when I ran my hands over his face for the first time, memorizing it, and that's when I saw that his eyes were bright green, coincidentally the same color that Bella's had been before they became clouded over.

"So that's what you look like!"

"Not too shabby looking for you, am I, Jessie?" he asked hopefully.

"Nope." I kissed him on the cheek. "You're perfect."

A knock on the door kept us from talking any further and when I looked over, my rose into my throat when I saw who it was.

"Mama! Papa!"

Yoshi vacated the bed as my parents, accompanied by my two younger siblings, came over to my bed and sat down by me, showering me with lots of hugs and kisses. The twisted thing was that while I was crying (again) and I knew that I was never again going to leave my family the way I did, I was reminded vividly of how Johanna Beckett used to hold me and cuddle with me when I was little and recovering from a temper tantrum.

That was true motherly love, and miss her almost as much as Kate does.

My parents love me unconditionally and they mean well with their affection, but since they were gone from my life for so many years, there's always going to be a part of my heart that's going to be empty because that's where Johanna had been.

(I hope that my parents will be able to understand that…)

I really wanted to stay inside that happy moment with my parents, but it was interrupted when I felt a tiny hand pat me on the face to get my attention, and I saw that it was Grace, looking at me with the utmost skepticism.

"No go an'where, por favor, Jess."

"I won't, Gracie. I'm staying here."

"Para siempre? Fo'ever?"

"That's right."

She smiled a little and glanced over at my belly briefly. "Baby in there?"

I nodded and winced as the baby kicked particularly hard, like he knew he was being talked about.

"Yep. What do you think of that?"

Grace blew a kiss to the bump. "Te amo, bebé!"

Feeling satisfied that she'd had her share; she turned back to our parents and asked to be put back down on the floor so she could join Bella, who was looking out of the window on the other side of the room. While that was happening, my eyes fell on my baby brother, who was perched in mama's arms. Even for a baby, he was pretty observant and been watching the whole scene with extreme vigilance.

"So this is Leon, huh?"

"Yes." Mama nodded and moved a little closer. "This is your brother, Leon Richard Felix Esposito, and he'll officially be five months old, two days from now."

My brother looked around in response to his name being spoken and he cooed happily, just because.

"He's making noise, but he's being so quiet. He doesn't usually have problems with new people."

"Yoshi described him as a happy kid…"

"He _is," _papa reassured me from where he sat in a chair next to mama's. "And he really loved being talked to when he was in your mother's belly."

"Is he bilingual?"

(Papa, mama, Bella, Grace, Abuela Ophelia and I all are)

"Most definitely. Try talking to him, Jess."

Mama moved her chair closer to my bed and Leon did not look upset by the sudden movement, so I reached out to him.

"Hola, Leon. I'm your sister."

Surprisingly, this did the trick because he squealed happily and leaned towards me with his arms held out, wanting to be with me. Mama put Leon on the bed and as I had my hands out on either side of him to catch him if he fell, he became interested in playing with my fingers, and I couldn't say I blamed him because with the fiery tattoos designs on my fingers and the flames going all the way up my hands and arms before they merged into the lion and phoenix designs, my hands alone must have looked like interesting playthings to him.

"I think he likes you, Jessie." Yoshi noted from where he was perched at the end of the bed with my feet placed in his lap. "You have a new little buddy there."

(I knew that without even saying it that he was thinking about how I was going to be with our baby)

"Leon gets shy every once in awhile, but he always bounces back because he's an Esposito, and we're all made of tough stuff." Papa observed with an air of pride. "He likes you, niña, but now I'm just wondering how he's going to be when he realizes that you're pregnant…"

Papa's words died off because at that moment, Leon suddenly had a startled look on his face because my son—his nephew—had kicked him hard in the stomach and now he was trying to figure out what to make of what had just happened. I caught him before he could topple over and pulled him a little closer, speaking to him in a soothing voice. Mama made to take him back from me when he started making whimpering noises, but I held up a hand, indicating for her to stay back.

"It's okay, mijo." I cooed to my brother. "It's okay because that's just your nephew saying hello to you—nothing to worry about."

I took his little hand and put it over the area where my boy was happily moving around, making extra good use of his knees and his elbows so that we could see them through the fabric of my hospital gown because of how close he was to my skin.

"Your nephew doesn't have a name yet," (I continued to speak to Leon like he was a lot older than he really is, but that's because I was like this with Bella and it's probably how she became so wickedly smart _and _how she learned to talk so early) "But I hope that you like him when you meet him because he's going to need somebody to watch over him, and I think that you're going to fit the bill perfectly."  
Leon seemed to be comforted by my voice, and a split second later, my baby kicked my little brother again, and this time around, he was very amused. So amused in fact, that he started laughing up a storm with every kick that the baby delivered. The baby in my arms didn't even seem to mind that he was getting kicked in the stomach.

I looked over at my parents, both of whom looked very pleased to see that Leon and I were getting along so well. One of the few things I regret about leaving when I did is that I missed Leon's birth, so this moment right now, was the first time that he and I were ever meeting. Remembering how my attitude had been towards mama when she was pregnant with my brother—slightly hostile because I had been so jealous—I pulled Leon close to me so that he was flush with my body, and I placed a kiss on the top of his thick curly black locks, making him giggle happily.

"Between you and me, baby brother, we have the best parents in the world." I told him in a matter-of-fact voice. "They will do absolutely anything for us, even if it hurts them, and they'll do it because they _love _you, me, Gracie and even Bella and _her _brother. It's not every day that you find parents as awesome as that."

Leon giggled again, but then he suddenly became upset and started whimpering again, and this was quickly followed by a steady stream of hiccups.

"Uh-oh." Mama said in a worried tone as she got up again. "Leon doesn't do well with hiccups because they drive him up the wall. Here—I'll take him."

She tried to pick him up, but Leon would have it because he pressed himself even closer to my body, showing that he wanted to stay with me.

"I don't think that's going to be happening, mama."

"But it's getting close to his nap time," She continued to fret. "And he's as punctual as a Swiss watch to the point where it's kind of eeky. Look."

Sure enough, Leon was beginning to nod off, but ever time he did, he hiccupped loudly and jolted himself awake. Needless to say, he was getting frustrated.

"Bella is just as punctual as Leon is," I told her as I immediately began giving my brother a backrub to quell the problem that was quickly becoming a source of great annoyance for him. "And hiccups also really bothered her, especially when she was in the womb, still. It looks like Leon doesn't want to be away from me right now, anyway, so wait just a few moments."

My parents both sat back in their chairs to watch me, and I could see Yoshi also watching to see what I would do as I gave my full attention to my brother.

"You're okay, little guy." I assured him as I continued the backrub. "Hiccups are absolutely no fun, but I'll help you get rid of them, and you'll be sleeping again in mama's arms in no time flat."

Leon whimpered again but leaned closer to me, actually cuddling now.

"You're okay." I repeated, trying not to let my crazy pregnancy hormones get the best of me. "You're okay, and those awful hiccups will be good and gone soon."

I continued to talk to him and give him a backrub until at last, he was hiccup-free and actually cuddling with my baby bump, resting his head against it. Nearby, Yoshi was very impressed, and as I passed Leon back to my parents, I could tell that he was just as impressed with my skills. Just as mom was getting her sleeping son situated in her arms, Emily came in to check on how my IV drip was coming along.

"You're in really great shape, Jessica Rose!" my friend told me after examining the drip bag and other monitors that my baby and I were hooked up to. "Your son is also well on his way to being in just as great shape."

I breathed a sigh of relief and I could feel Yoshi, still parked at the other end of the bed with my feet propped up in his lap, visibly relax as his whole body dropped its tense guard. As a further sign of his relaxed state, he began massaging my swollen feet.

"Emily, when am I going to be discharged?"

"What is it with your family and hospitals?" she joked as she checked the IV drip and did some calculations. "I can discharge you when your IV drip is done, and that's going to be sometime around ten tonight."

"You mean I'm going to be in here for the rest of the day?"

I immediately started to take deep and calming breaths to keep from having a panic attack like I'd had earlier because being in a hospital for the rest of the day and most of the night when all I wanted was to be in my own bed after having been away from it for so long was _not _my idea of a fun day, plus I've been hospitalized for some pretty serious things in the past like blood loss one year and a miscarriage a year before that. Yoshi sensed my distress and moved towards me so he could hold me and whisper comforting things to me.

"I'm afraid so," Emily sympathized. "But it's for the sake of your health and your baby's health, too."

"Will I at least be able to have company? I _really _want to see Melissa, Alexis, Calvin and Ashley." I paused for a moment, thinking and then tacked on a few more names. "I also want to see Martha, Kate and Jordan."

"They're all going to be thrilled to pieces to hear that you want to see them," she chirped. "But I have some things that I need to discuss with you and Yoshi about your baby right now, so no more visitors until that's taken care of."

I nodded in understanding and turned towards my parents to tell them goodbye. Both of them understood Emily's words and got up to go, taking extra to not wake Leon or Grace, both of whom were now sound asleep because it was nap time for them. When Bella saw them getting ready to leave, she put her foot down and adamantly refused to go with them. It took Yoshi a good five minutes to convince her that she was going to stay with us because we are her parents, meaning that we're the ones who were in charge of her, but when she finally understood, she waved goodbye to the others and went back to entertaining herself with a box of toys she had found by the window.

After my parents left with my brother and sister, shutting the door behind them, Yoshi and I had a long talk with Emily about my condition. It turned out that because I'd had a bad miscarriage early into my previous pregnancy and because I was told that I wouldn't be able to carry another child to term as a result, I was going to be closely monitored and would have to have a scheduled c-section because it was the safest means of delivery.

But that was all fine by me.

_Later that night, 10:30 PM _

_Esposito house, Yoshi's Point of View _

After a long day at the hospital with my family, during which Jessica Rose was reunited with our friends, and also during which Bella and I surprised her with a stuffed animal for the baby, it was finally time to go and when I told my girlfriend that I was going to go home with her and Bella, she cried because she was that happy.

There wasn't much for Jessica to take home except for the pamphlets that Emily had provided us with (including several for me about me about being a first-time dad to an infant), so all there was to be done was for Jessica to dictate her medical information to me so I could fill out her discharge papers. Emily offered to do it herself but I politely turned her offer down because I felt that it was my duty as Jessica's partner—her wording, not mine—to be the one to take care of those kinds of things.

Javier arrived not long after that to collect us, and when we got back to the house, it was Lanie who helped a weary Jessica and barely awake Bella upstairs to the bedrooms because Javier pulled me aside for a minute.

"I have something for you, Yoshi." He told me as he dug in his pocket for something.

"You do?" I was taken aback because this was the last thing I'd been expecting him to say. "What it is?"

"This." He found what he was looking for and deposited it into my hand. "It's a key to the house."

I turned it over to examine it before putting it into my own pocket for safekeeping.

"Thanks, Javier."

He smiled. "If Jessica is anything like Lanie, that means that she's going to be running you ragged for midnight food runs. Don't be surprised if it starts in an hour or two."

"Any other words of advice?"

"Get her whatever she wants, no matter how bizarre, unless you want to end up on the couch."

As I opened my mouth to respond to this, Lanie came back down the stairs and addressed me in the kind of tone that made me snap to attention.

"Kiyoshi Serizawa, is my husband scaring you with the 'overprotective dad on the porch with a shotgun' routine?"

"Surprisingly, no."

"But I was _just _about to start!" Javier complained to his wife as I suppressed a smirk. "Chica, you totally interrupted my segue!"

(One of my favorite things out Lanie and Javier's bond is that they can be so serious at times but also very playful, and that kind of strength comes from the fact that they've been friends for their entire lives)

Lanie gave Javier a playful swat on the head. "Shush, you big crybaby! There will be plenty of time to torture Yoshi, but now is not one of those times. Did you give him the key yet?"

Javier nodded but didn't say anything because he was still sulking about not being able to torture me like he had wanted to. Lanie was amused by her husband's behavior and spoke to me in a softer tone.

"I left you some money in the key bowl by the door, to use for when Jessica kicks you out of the bed at some Godforsaken hour so you can cater to her needs for food cravings. You may keep all of the money to use for future midnight food runs, and we don't want you to worry about paying us back."

"Lanie, that's very sweet, but—"

She waved it off. "Yoshi, you are as good as our son and you have been for a long time, so do not look a gift horse in the mouth, okay?"

I was touched by what she said about me being as good as a son to her and Javier, but I started nodding quickly in agreement because she was looking at me with a raised eyebrow, waiting for me to at least respond.

"Okay, Lanie. Thanks."

She smiled and gave me a quick hug. "Now go upstairs before Jessica wanders back down here. She's dead on her feet but is determined to wait up for you"

"I'll go now." I started heading up the stairs. "Good night."

"Good night, Yoshi, but be warned: if you two wake up _any _of the kids, you're going to be responsible for staying up with them until they get back to sleep. It'll be good practice—especially for you—for when the baby comes!"

I promised that we would be quiet and hurried up to Jessica's bedroom because I didn't want to be away from her for too much longer. When I arrived in her room, I saw her dressed in pajamas and sitting on the edge of her bed, both hands on her belly, soothing the baby inside. The room was lit only by the streetlights outside, casting a warm glow over the room. Just behind her, Bella was tucked under the covers and snoring gently. I shut the door behind me and stripped down to my boxers before sitting next to Jessica, who seemed to be thinking hard about something.

"I've just been thinking about something, anata," (my heart turned over when she used the Japanese term of endearment) "And I have to get it out."

I put an arm around her shoulder. "Go for it."

"Where are we all going to go when the baby comes? We can't keep bouncing between your house and mine."

"I actually came up with a remedy for that while you were gone."

"Did you, now?"

"Yeah." I gave her a peck on the cheek. "Right before Keiko was born, I moved into the carriage house behind the big house. Jeffery and Sophia sleep there."

"Did you move so that Keiko could have your bedroom?"

I nodded. "It was the only one left because Kate's childhood bedroom is off limits. The twins offered to let you and Bella move into the carriage house, too."

Jessica was as taken aback as I had been a few minutes ago. "They don't mind having me, a six-year-old, and a newborn baby in there?"

"Seeing as they treat you like a mother and adore Bella like a sister and already see our baby as another 'sibling,' or what have you, I'd have to say no, they don't. And if you're worried about how Bella is going to be, something tells me that she would be happy to see my little sisters every day when we go into the main house."

She seemed to be considering this. Although neither one of us dwell too much on our disabilities because we believe in not letting them get the best of us, that still means we have to face reality and the things that come with it. Jessica's overlaying issue is that she may not ever be able to get a proper job, but because of the degree of my autism, I'll never really be able to live on my own because I'm too dependent on my mom. (I'm working as hard as I can to be independent, but she knows and I know that that dependancy is going to be there for many years) Living in the carriage house will be as close as I'll come to really being on my own. It's a bit sad, but it's a fact of life that I've come to terms with.

"Do my parents and yours know about this?"

"They do, and they have no qualms against it."

"I like the idea, but can we sleep on it? Yoshi, I'm so tired…"

"Of course we can sleep on it."

I got up and helped her lay down, where she giggled as the baby stretched out when I placed a few kisses good night kisses on the bump. With one last good night kiss to Jessica, I went over to the other side of the bed and climbed into bed, too.

Bella was asleep in between us, but I'm glad she was there because I knew that even though she's been doing a very good job of holding herself together, she wouldn't have been able to keep it up much longer, but now that Jessica's here, Bella considers her family to be whole again, meaning that she can finally act like a normal six-year-old now.

Reaching over Bella's back and taking great care to not wake her up because she was almost as tired as her mother, I found Jessica's hand and held onto it, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Jessica Rose?" I whispered.

"Yes?" she whispered back.

"I'm so glad you're home."

"So am I."


	7. Where Joy And Sorrow Meet

_Next evening, May 1 _

_Esposito house, 8:30 PM _

_Lanie's Point of View _

As much as Yoshi wanted to stay with Jessica the day after she returned, he got stuck with a double shift at his stock room job at Target and was going to be there overnight. And this morning, while I was fortunately not on call for the morgue, Javier was on call for the precinct and was called in at five this morning. He called just a few minutes ago to say that we shouldn't expect him home before midnight.

On the bright side, this meant that I had an entire day to spend with all of my kids and my granddaughter. (Jessica, Bella, Grace and Leon haven't been in the same room together since the morning that Jessica and Bella left, and even at that I was still pregnant with Leon) Because Jessica was still recuperating from her stay at the hospital, she decided to put off having a day with Alexis like she really wanted to, but she didn't say no to when I told her that we were going to meet Ophelia at the mall because she wanted to treat Jessica to shopping spree to get her maternity clothes and more comfortable shoes. Jessica was grateful for this, and Ophelia bought her everything her heart desired.

And now, at the end of the day, we're back at the house, we've had dinner and now, Jessica and I have just finished putting Grace, Leon and Bella to bed, meaning that she and I now have the rest of the evening to ourselves. Jessica wants to watch a movie, and I'm not about to say no to some bonding time with my firstborn, but because her vision is not the best, I picked out _Witness for the Persecution _because it's based on a play, meaning that it's heavy on dialogue. Jessica appreciated my selection.

At the moment, Jessica is camped out on the couch in the living room, waiting for me to bring out our movie snacks—two slices of toasted cinnamon raisin bread and a glass of milk because that's what she had requested, and for me, a small bowl of popcorn and a glass of pink lemonade—and was probably going to come looking for me if I didn't hurry things along. Procuring a tray from a nearby cupboard, I arranged everything and brought it all out to where Jessica was, but became curious when I saw her looking lost in thought and her long fingers splayed over her belly. The TV was on, but I was pretty sure that she wasn't paying attention to it. I set the tray down on the coffee table in front of us and sat next to her. The sudden movement made her jump, but she continued to massage her belly.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded absently. "Mama, how did I get my name?"

"Thinking about names already?"

Jessica nodded again. "I had Bella's name picked out almost from the moment I knew she was there. If she'd been born a boy, I would've picked the name Gideon."

"That's a nice choice. Will you and Yoshi use that name this time around?"

She shrugged but gave me a pointed look. "Stop beating around the bush, mama. How did I get my name?"

I sighed heavily, knowing that a topic I've never liked talking about had to be discussed right this minute.

"I told you that I found out you were on the day I lost my dad, right?"

"Uh-huh. You also told me that Abuela Susan disowned you when you told her about me."

"That's exactly what happened, but there's another thing that happened—I ran away from home."

"I knew that part, actually."

"Jessica Rose, I was gone for two months."

My daughter's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"I ran to the first shelter I could find, and it was packed with crazies who would have just loved to mess with me because I was a scared pregnant seventeen-year-old girl. I was also properly lost because I was in a part of the Bronx that I'd never been to before. I don't remember what happened right after I got there, but I do remember lying down on a bed and crying my eyes out."

"What happened after that?"

"An older woman came over to my bed and shared half her sandwich with me."

"This was Jessica, the original one?"

"You got it. This Jessica took me under her wing the whole time I was there, and she also talked me down from going _too _crazy. I was pretty worried about going back home to your father."

"And so you named me after her because she took care of you, and ultimately me?"

"Exactly right; she saved us, Jessica did. She was a great lady, and I still think about her."

"She sounds pretty great, and I'm happy to be named after her…"

Jessica let out a sudden groan and began massaging her belly a little more, speaking to it.

"Yes, niño, I know you're in there, but you still have three more months yet before daddy, Bella and I can hold you and give you lots of kisses."

She was conversing happily with her baby, but something told me that she still had other things on her mind.

"What else are you thinking about? I can tell you haven't said everything yet."

Jessica looked over at me with a puppy dog eye expression that I'd never seen on her before, and I had a brief pang of regret about giving her up as a newborn because I never got to see when she started practicing her puppy dog expression.

"Mama, do you and papa ever think about having another baby? Besides Leon, I mean?"

I was taken aback by this. "What? Your brother isn't even six months old yet!"

"But _do _you?" she pressed.

"It _would _be nice for Grace and Leon to have a companion closer to their ages… and I know that your father would agree with me." I admitted at length. "They both adore Bella, but there's also the part where your brother and sister don't even reach the age of two years old, combined."

The words were barely out of my mouth when Jessica kept talking. "Excellent. Bella is going to keep tabs on her, like how she does with Gracie and Leo, but I know that _they _are going to be buddies with this kid because they're buddies with Bella, and if this baby is another boy—"

Wondering about where in the world about another sibling was even coming from, and also wanting Jessica to be quiet; I picked up one of her slices of toast and shoved it unceremoniously into her mouth.

"Shush 'em, niña." I told her, smirking at the perplexed look on her face. "Shush 'em and eat your toast. Not another word about babies unless it's about the one growing inside of you!"

"But—"

"Don't talk with your mouth full. You're going to teach your son bad manners!"

Knowing that it was pointless to keep arguing with me, she sat back and munched on her toast while I finally got the movie started.

…But now that I think about it more, another baby would be fun because Javi and I have always wanted a big family…

_Next day, May 2nd _

_Twelfth Precinct Morgue, 5:30 PM _

I went to work the next morning with Jessica's chatter about babies—as well as Javier's amused laughter—ringing in my ears, but all of that went out of the window not even two minutes after I put my things down in my office because we got a sudden but ridiculously huge amount of bodies all at once because there had been a very bad water taxi crash an hour before, with a huge amount of casualties, lots of those of those people having died in the immediate aftermath.

The work life of a medical examiner isn't ever pleasant because you're basically cutting up dead people and poking around in their bodies, trying to figure out how they died. I mean, even the word '_glamorous' _is not in the vocabulary of terms used to describe my job.

More often than not, I do what I do because I help play a part just as much as Javier does in bringing closure to families who have been robbed of a loved one, but…

There can be days—much like this one—where I just loathe my job because that means that I have to be the one to tell someone that their family member is dead.

In this case, I have to tell Nicolas Álvarez, that Eve, the biological mother of Ezekiel and Moses, is lying dead on my slab, a casualty of the crash.

…God give me strength…

After a small pep talk from my boss, the notable Doctor Emma Dunbar, I was able to calm myself and sit down at my office desk, put on my mask of professionalism and dial Nicolas' cell number from my own cell phone.

He answered on the second ring and sounded kind of rushed.

"Lanie, is Maddie okay?"

This had me slightly confused. "I beg your pardon? She's not with me right now, Nicolas. I'm at work, and I think that she's with Jordan and Jenny, anyway."

"Right, right—I'm sorry." He apologized. "There's lots of things to take care of before the babies are due, so it's total crunch time over here because we're filling up their dresser drawers today. You think I'd be able to keep track of my own wife, especially since she's heavily pregnant with triplets!"

He sighed heavily after saying all of these things in a rush and then seemed to remember that I had called him first.

"I'm sorry." He apologized again and laughed nervously. "Did you have something that you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes, actually. Nicolas, I'm so sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but there was a water taxi crash at a dock today, and your ex-wife, Eve Murphy, was among the casualties that didn't make it. I know you two were estranged, but let me be the first to offer you my condolences."

There was a full moment of silence on his end of the line, and the only sound as he sat back in his chair were sniffles—a telltale sign that he was crying, even a little, but when he spoke, his voice was mechanical and detached.

"You're right about us being estranged, but how did you know that was her? How did you know to even call me first? Eve and I haven't been in the same room since Ezekiel and Moses were tiny infants."

"I did not find her body because I was not on the crash site this morning, but from what I understand, Eve was not in the water and one of my assistants found her wallet with her ID on her, and her phone was in her purse with your name listed as the only emergency contact."

"Well, that makes a lot of sense." He admitted at length. "Eve didn't really have anybody left because she was an only child and she lost both of her parents on 9/11… do you need me to come down there to ID her body?"

"Yes, I do. Formalities and all…"

"Okay, Lanie. I'll be there soon."

He hung up and I proceeded to pass the time in getting ready for his arrival by finishing up the preparations of making Eve's body presentable and doing so meticulously because Doctor Dunbar was watching me almost the same way a hawk watches its prey. Her expression was completely stoic, so I couldn't even be sure why she had picked me of all people to shadow today.

Nicolas arrived in no time, and he was accompanied by Estella, Madison, Jordan and Jenny. Noting that Santiago and the kids weren't present, I didn't say anything about that, but instead directed my little crowd towards the end of the corridor where the viewing room was, blinds shut for now. Doctor Dunbar continued to watch me from a few feet away while I spoke to the people gathered in front of me.

Just as I opened my mouth, Nicolas shook his head as first his mother and then his wife tightened their grips on his arms to keep him standing, just in case. Jordan and Jenny were hanging back respectfully, but had expressions of the utmost concern on their faces.

"Eve was the mother of my boys, but I don't need all the details of how she died, nor do I _want _them because she's been good and gone from my life for half a decade now."

I nodded in understanding because in my line of work, I'm used to hearing stories like Nicolas' every day. What he'd just said was nothing new.

"Are you ready, Nicolas?"

He nodded, approaching the window with Estella and Madison. "I am."

I pulled the blinds up and stepped to the side to let them look through the little window. It was with a heavy heart as I watched Nicolas study the body laying just inside on a slab and covered respectfully with a sheet before his face crumpled up, like he was trying his hardest not to cry… but I can't say that I blamed him for feeling the way that he was, even if his marriage to Eve had ended in shambles.

Nicolas looked away from his ex-wife's body, took a deep breath and slowly let it out before speaking to me again.

"That person in there is definitely Eve. Do you need anything else from me, Lanie?"

I shook my head. "No, Nicolas, I don't. Thanks for coming in."

"W-when can her body be released?" he stuttered, as if unsure how to ask the question properly. "I have to be the one to bury her, for the sakes of my boys—it's what's right."

I nodded in understanding once more because I'd felt the same conflicting emotions back when I had to bury my mother this past October. She and I had been just as estranged from each other as Nicolas and Eve had been from each other. I also knew that _Castle _had experienced the same thing when he had to bury Meredith after she had been murdered by the shadowy 'Dragon' character, also in October. Now poor Nicolas gets to join the club…

"I will have the details ready for you soon and have someone call you." I promised him. "Again, I'm so sorry for your loss."

He made a noise of acknowledgement, but other than that, he seemed to suddenly be lost in his own world now, so Madison thanked me, and then with Estella's help, managed to navigate Nicolas down the corridor to the elevator so they could back upstairs. Jordan and Jenny were trailing behind them.

I watched my friends until the elevator doors had closed and then turned back to the observation window, shutting the blinds.

"Doctor Parish?"

Slightly startled, I looked up to see that my boss was now standing beside me.

"You gave me a start! Have you been here the whole time, Doctor Dunbar? I must have forgotten…"

"Yes, I _have _been here the whole time, and I'm sorry about startling you."

She walked over to the opposite side of the corridor from where we were standing and sat down on a bench, beckoning for me to join her. I did as I was told, curious about what she was up to. She's a nice person, and I've known her since I was an intern here at the morgue, but she also reminds me of Professor McGonagall—who has always been my favorite Harry Potter character, anyway—in the sense that as the Chief Medical Examiner for the Twelfth Precinct, she's very serious about her job and is just as dedicated to it.

"You've always been my favorite one, Delaney." (Hearing the use of my full name forced me to sit up straighter and put me on high alert) "Top of your class at Columbia, glistening recommendations from your residents at Saint Brigid's Hospital, acing your medical boards, and even being the youngest woman _ever _in the history of our esteemed morgue to be promoted to the rank of on-site medical examiner. It's all very, very impressive. What was your reason to have that much drive? In all of my years in this job, I've never seen anyone as spectacular as you are."

"Thank you." (I felt my cheeks growing warm at her compliment, but tried not to make too big a deal of it) "Do you want the full answer? It has a lot to do with my family."

"I would really like to hear the answer now." She smiled kindly at me, making feel at ease. "I love hearing those kinds of stories."

"I grew up in a bad building project over in the Bronx, and neither one of my parents ever had much money, so we were pretty poor. Neither of my parents had ever gotten their college education, so even though I knew I was loved—by my father, at least—they didn't put that much stock in my future."

"Did you decide to prove them wrong?"

"I did, yes," I confirmed. "But when I was in high school, my dad and a few family friends were killed in a firefight, and I also got pregnant and had a daughter in the same year. My daughter's father and I really wanted to keep her, but in the end, we put her into foster care when she was a few hours old because we just couldn't provide for her. Instead of getting depressed about it like I was tempted to, I picked myself back up and became determined to be the best that I could be because I wanted my baby girl to be proud of me if she ever came looking for me in the future."

"What rank did you place when you graduated high school?"

"I was first out of one hundred-and-eighty students, and I even got a full-ride scholarship to the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University that paid for all eight years of medical school, provided that I kept my grades up."

"Do you know if your daughter is proud of you now?"

"As a matter of face, I do." A grin crept across my face as I remembered the euphoria I had felt after seeing Jessica again for the first time in two decades. "She tracked down her father and me almost two years ago, and one of the first things she told me after I told her what I do for a living and how far I'd come to even get here, was that she is very proud of me for everything I've accomplished. I did all of it for her."

Doctor Dunbar smiled, looking thoughtful. "You know, hearing that story now, especially after observing your performance on a particularly busy day like this one and then watching you handle that case with your friend just now, it all makes me even more confident when I say that you are my top choice to take over my position of Chief Medical Examiner when I retire in January."

I blinked in surprise, not at all expecting this, but mostly because it's no secret that Doctor Dunbar is retiring to Florida in nine months, but up until now, I'd always assumed that she would have picked Perlmutter over me for this kind of thing. I certainly had no idea that my boss has ever liked me as much as she says she does. Emma Dunbar has one of the pest poker faces ever.

"I—wow! Thank you so much!"

"I'll take that as a good sign," she smiled happily as she got to her feet. "But I'll let you discuss this with your husband before you come give me a proper answer."

"Of course." I agreed. "When do you need my answer by?"

"Before the end of your work day today."

"Then I'll go to my office and call my husband right now!"

My boss approved of this and let me go, laughing at how I didn't even try to hide the fact that I was hurrying to my office. When I reached it, I dialed Javier's desk number, almost misdialing because of how excited I was. He picked up quickly despite my cryptic words, he promised to come down to the morgue as quickly as he could, and he did because he arrived about five minutes later to find me in a now empty morgue—I was in charge for the next few hours, and all of the day's hubbub had finally died down, meaning that all of the interns were scattered to the four winds, doing different things—and I was perched on top of a clean and empty slab, fiddling with my medical ID bracelet on my left wrist and also brushing loose threads of my scrubs while swinging my legs back and forth, like an eager child, happily anticipating a treat.

"Hola, chica." Javier greeted me as sidled right up to the table, and stood right in between my legs and threaded his fingers in mine. "What's got you so giddy that I have to drop everything to come down here?"

I waggled my eyebrows playfully. "Why don't you guess?"

"You get off early today?"

"Don't I wish. Try again. Two more guesses now."

"Perlmutter decided to actually come to karaoke night at the Old Haunt?"

"Javi, we've been trying for years to get that man to do _anything _fun with us. What makes you think, especially after Castle sent him a card and a _fruit bowl _for his birthday last week, that he's going to lighten up anytime soon?"

"Good point." Javier thought hard and gently touched a hand to my stomach. "You aren't pregnant, are you?"

I raised an eyebrow at him dangerously and he promptly removed his hand, but just to set him on edge, I glided a hand over the lower part of my belly.

"And what _if, _Javier Gabriel Felix Esposito, I actually _am _pregnant with Esposito Baby Number Four?"

"I… uh…"

Amused by his reaction, I smirked at him. "It would be a hell of a ride if I was, though."

"So… you aren't pregnant right now?" he asked, visibly relieved. "You aren't pregnant right now?"

"No, and it _would _be a hell of a ride, like I said, but it would turn my body alone into Public Enemy Number One in Leon's book for a long time.

"I can't argue with that…"

"And besides, we agreed that Esposito Baby Number Four is going to be adopted, and that we're going to start that process the week after Leon's first birthday. In _December." _

"I can't argue with that, either."

I raised one of Javier's hands to my lips and kissed it. "Do you give up guessing now?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Doctor Dunbar just offered me a promotion… to take over her job when she retires in January."

Javier gave me a happy hug and kiss, not having to bend down because for once, we were level with each other. "Lanie, that's wonderful! Did you take it?"

"Yes and no. Doctor Dunbar said she wants an answer by the time I leave today, but she wants an official answer by the time I leave today, but she wanted me to talk to you first."

"Well," he laughed. "What are you waiting for? You've been working _hard _for years for a chance like this. I really think you should take it."

"Yeah?"

He nodded enthusiastically and came closer, supporting the small of my back with his hands while I rested my own on his forearms.  
"Most definitely. I know it's going to mean tighter hours for you every now and again, but we'll manage. There's nobody in your office who deserves this promotion more than you do."

I smiled at his reassurance. "Okay, I'll go tell her."

But I didn't move. Needless to say, this really worried Javier.

"What's wrong?"

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Don't get me wrong—the offer of the promotion to _Chief Medical Examiner _has totally made my day ten times over, but… you heard about that water taxi crash this morning, right?"

"Yes—it's been playing on the news upstairs for most of the day. I bet things have been really busy for you all day, huh?"

"You have no idea how busy I've been today, baby, but the last body… oh, God…" I shuddered at the thought.

"Whose body was it?"

"It was Nicolas' ex-wife, Eve. As far as I know, she was very unhinged," I reached up and tapped my temple for emphasis. "But she and Nicolas were totally estranged by the time their marriage ended. She's been gone from Ezekiel's and Moses' lives for almost as long as they've been alive, so that means that Madison is the only mother that they've ever really known! She's a lovely woman and a fantastic mother, but this whole thing about me being the one to tell Nicolas that his _ex-wife, _the complete opposite of Madison as far as love and maternal instinct go, really gets to me because I understand and I _remember _what it's like to be abandoned, simply because your own mother couldn't stand the sight of you. I took care of Jenner because she was my sister and it was what was right, but you remember how she was…"

"Definitely. That kid was so happy, and she thought the world of you." He recalled. "Even though Jenner was almost seven when she died, I still remember that you never had the heart to correct her when she started calling you mama."

"As far as she knew, I _was _her mother because our own couldn't stand to look at her since she looked like my dad and we lost him on the day mom told me she was pregnant, but why am I explaining these things to you? You were there!"

I rested my forehead against Javier's shoulder as the memories came flooding back.

"My heart really goes out to Nicolas and his boys, even if the twins don't remember their biological mother at all. I don't think you could ever really know how many times that I wished I could have fixed my family after it broke."

Javier pulled me into a hug. "That's probably true, and you know I'd never ask because I know how much it hurts you to remember those years, but I can assure you that none of that will _ever _happen to our family because we learned from it and because our family has thrived on unconditional love since my mom took you in after we discovered your pregnancy."

I nodded but didn't respond for a minute before putting my hands on his shoulders and looking him straight in the eye. "Javier, am I a good mother to our kids? Am I good grandmother to our granddaughter?"

"Delaney, you are the best ever," he said seriously. "And don't you ever doubt it. Why are you asking? Susan practically abused you and neglected Jenner."

"Because I also remember what it was like when my mom hit me after we found out that Jessica was on the way, and I still remember how she _made _me take care of Jenner after awhile, even though my arm was broken and we'd just signed Jessica over to the system."

I sighed heavily and ran my fingers though my long coal-black colored hair. "Whatever happens, I just don't want to be like how my mom was."

"And you never will be, chica. You're one hundred times better at being a mother to Jessica, Grace, Leon and even Gabriella than Susan ever was with you and Jenner."

"Do you think that I'll be a good mom to Esposito Baby Number Four?"

"When the time comes, you'll be a _wonderful _mother to him or her, just the way I'll be a wonderful dad to that kid."

"You're right about all of that." I admitted, allowing myself to smile a little bit. "Let's just hope that our children aren't too noisy for baby girl."

Javier was taken aback by the latter part of my statement. "Excuse me? 'Baby girl'? The last time I checked, we still have eight more months before we agreed that we would even start looking into the adoption process!"

"It doesn't stop me from dreaming, though," My voice dropped to a purr. "And as I recall, you said that you really don't mind if we picked a boy or a girl."

"That's true…"

"Therefore, we are going to have another daughter."

Javier sighed dramatically. "Okay, but this means that Leon and I are going to be seriously outnumbered—even more than we already are."

"Be that as it may, you and I both know that when Leon gets older, he's going to have a field day fighting back off any potential boyfriends for Bella, Grace, and Baby Girl. From the way that Jessica and Ophelia tell it, Bella was won over by Moses Álvarez on the day they first met, and Gracie had been enamored with Jameson Castle for their entire lives thus far."

"That's _also _true." He agreed and then brushed my hair away from my face where it had fallen and tucked it behind my right ear where it had fallen. "Are you going to be okay now? Something tells me that the sooner Doctor Dunbar gets your answer, the sooner that everything can be set in stone for you."

He proceeded to give me a kiss of searing passion on the lips, the kind that had me giggling very quickly and flashing back to the nights that we had made Jessica, Grace and Leon. As much as I wanted him to take me, right then and there, I knew it couldn't happen for many, many reasons. I pulled away first.

"I'll be okay now, Javi." I gave him a little push and hopped off the slab, landing neatly on my feet and looking up at him. "Go ahead and go back to your floor while I hunt down Doctor Dunbar."

We exchanged one last kiss and went our separate ways.

_Queller-Álvarez house_

_Madison's Point of View, 6:45 PM _

Poor Nicolas.

I feel so bad for him right now.

He hasn't spoken much since we came home from the morgue.

I feel sad about Eve's passing, because being sad is the respectful thing to do in this kind of situation, but I can't be sad forever because the Eve Murphy I knew was a nasty, conniving (and almost sociopathic) person who disliked me so much that she went as far as to plan for a boy in our year to _assault _me!

For that, I'll be sad for a day or so, but there's a part of me that doesn't know what to think at all because she also gave birth to Ezekiel and Moses, both of whom I love deeply because they're _my _little boys now.

Eve lost the privilege to be their mother when she left.

I picked up the pieces of chaos and destruction that came in the wake of Eve's departure and I did my best to fix everything and put it back together, but I did it at the same time that Nicolas and I were falling in love with each other, and also at the same time that Ezekiel and Moses, tiny babies though they were, were getting used to me being around and cuddling with them.

…This all feels weirder for me than most people even realize because this is my first marriage, but Nicolas' second, so there are times when I feel as if I'm watching from an outsider's perspective…

And in the end, putting all of the emotional trauma that Eve did to Nicolas to the side, I know that part of him—even if it's the tiniest of slivers—is always going to belong to her, not out of love anymore, but because she had two of his babies.

I've accepted that.

But here he and I are, home from the morgue—Jordan and Jenny understood my choice to step out of our ladies day out a little earlier than planned—and Nicolas has hardly moved off the couch. He's been lying here since we got home, and almost as soon as I sat next to him, he leaned against me, just wanting to be held.

Of course, I obliged and as he leaned against me, the babies began moving around inside me the instant they heard Nicolas' voice as he talked to them. I even rolled back the fabric of my shirt so we could see the babies' movements, especially those of the boy triplet because he was being extra fidgety.

Nicolas was beginning to smile now, as he kept his hand against my huge belly, but I knew there was something left to be discussed that hasn't been talked about yet.

"Nicolas?"

He turned to face me. "Yes?"

"The kids are going to come in here eventually and wonder what's got their precious daddy so upset. Zeke and Mo may only be five right now, but they're going to have to know about what happened to Eve."

"But Maddie, they don't even remember her!" he protested. "_You're _the only mom that they've ever truly known!"

"I know that, but they _deserve _to know. It's going to be pretty awful if they find out when they're older that we've been keeping this from them. I don't think they would be to pleased. Eve was their _mother." _

He sighed heavily and even though he hadn't said it, I knew he agreed with my words. "Okay, but where _are _the twins? Lucy is napping, but the boys should be around here somewhere, and they always travel in a pair."

As if on cue, both of our little boys appeared in the living room door as if by magic and looking nervous, but Ezekiel marched right in, towing Moses by the wrist.

"Daddy, why are you so sad?" Moses asked as he and his brother climbed up onto the couch to make themselves comfortable. "I've never heared you cry before!"

"Daddy's crying because he got some sad news." I explained to the twins as I fixed my shirt.

The twins posed their questions in tandem, one sounding worried and the other sounding downright scandalized.

"Something's wrong wif one of the babies?"

"Are we gonna _move?" _

Nicolas shook his head. "The babies are all perfectly fine inside mama's belly, and I promise you that we aren't moving house any time soon, but I'll tell you both what's going on if you just chill out!"

The twins promptly shut their mouths, nodding. Nicolas took the boys into his lap and spoke directly to them while I watched, not wanting to intrude.

"The sad news is that Eve, the mama whose belly you two grew inside of, has died today."

Ezekiel and Moses both looked blank for a few moments, either feeling indifferent or else trying to figure out how to digest the news they'd just been given. They were both at a loss for words and had been cuddling with Nicolas for a minute or two before Moses broke the silence.

"What _happened _to Eve?"

"There was a terrible boat crash this morning, mijo, and she was on the boat."

"So it was a accident?"

Nicolas nodded. "I'm afraid so."

Moses didn't say anything else, but instead resumed cuddling while Ezekiel spoke up.

"Daddy, I'm sad 'cause she's dead, and I think that Mo is also sad 'bout that, but we don't remember her. Is that okay?"

"Yes, it's okay—I promise."

"Good…" Moses paused and then spoke with caution. "You said that we growed inside Eve's belly?"

"That's right."

"Why'd she go? Were we bad?"

"No, not at all."

"Then _why? _Didn't… didn't Eve love us?"

My heart broke to hear the twins refer to their biological mother with her first name, but it broke even more as I watched my husband struggle with his reply.

"I wish I had all of the right words to explain why she left us, but I don't right now."

"That's okay, daddy." Ezekiel gave Nicolas' hand a reassuring pat. "Maybe you'll have all words when me and Mo are bigger."

"I hope so."

During this time, Moses had burrowed into my side, snuggling with my belly. I gave him a poke and he swatted at my hand in response but looked up at me as I addressed him.

"What are you thinking about, little man? You've been quiet."

He squirmed a little. "I was just thinking about something, but I don't know how to say it."

"Take a deep breath and slowly let it out." I advised him. "It's okay. Inhale, exhale."

Moses followed my advice before he got the courage to speak. "I really don't remember Eve, but I thought of something nice that she did."

Nicolas and I exchanged puzzled glances with each other, confused, and then looked back at him. Even Ezekiel was looking curious.

"Mama, it was that Eve maded Zeke and me inside her tummy so that you and daddy could be the ones to have us."

My eyes filled up with happy tears about this and I gave Moses a hug, but I knew that for once, Nicolas had been more deeply moved than I had been, so I gave my son a gentle nudge and he crawled over to Nicolas' lap to give him an extra big hug. Obviously not wanting to leave me out, Ezekiel moved to where Moses had been cuddling with me, and spoke in what he thought was a conspiratorial tone.

"Mama, I have a idea."

I bent down towards him, matching my tone for his. "What's that?"

"After Lucy-boo wakes up, could we go to daddy's favorite place to eat for dinner? I think that would make him happy."

"That's a good idea," I caught him as he toppled backwards after taking unexpected blow to the stomach from one of his baby sisters. "But why don't you go give daddy a hug right now? I think that he really needs it."

My son gave a nod of agreement and did just that.

_Later that night, 9:30 PM _

_The Ramble, Central Park _

_Jenny's Point of View _

Even after fourteen years of marriage and with three small children at home—Alyssa, who is one-and-a-half, and Thomas and Elliana, who aren't quite five months old—Kevin and I manage to have a date night once a month, but _because _we have three small children, we have had to seriously tone what we do, which was why tonight, we found ourselves going for a late evening stroll in Central Park after having enjoyed a nice dinner at a restaurant in Times Square.

We were both enjoying ourselves as we walked along a pathway on the Ramble walking trails, but I stopped short with no warning, and Kevin accidentally walked into me.

"Come on, Jenny." He said as he straightened himself out. "I know that this is the area of Central Park where you were shot by those drug dealers and that you're always going to remember it because that kind of thing stays with you for the rest of your life, but I thought you were past the point where of randomly stopping in your tracks when you came through here."

I rolled my eyes at him and held a finger up to his lips. "Quiet, Kevin. I heard something just off the path.

"Where?" he looked around, cop instinct kicking into gear. "We're on a _hiking path _at _night, _so there are lots of places to pick from!"

I pointed towards a bench and lamppost just to our left. "Over there! Come on!"

I didn't wait for him to respond before I over to the area I'd indicated, steeling myself for whatever it was that was making the noises I was hearing.

It sounded like someone was crying.

I almost jumped out of my skin when I found the source of the sound behind a large bush.

A teenage girl was lying on the ground, staring in horror at a switchblade that was sticking out of the top of her stomach, soaking her clothes with blood.

"Help me, please!" She called out in a feeble voice that sounded like it was fading fast.

"KEVIN!" I yelled over my shoulder as I hurried over to the injured girl. "KEVIN, COME QUICKLY! THIS GIRL NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION!"

When I reached the girl, I immediately got down beside her and pulled her close, trying to block out how she looked like she could pass for my oldest daughter with the color of her hair and eyes even though she looked a few years younger than Flora's twenty-one, almost twenty-two years.

"What's your name?" I asked her as Kevin came around the corner, already on the line with a 911 operator. "I'm Jenny."

She gave a little gasp of pain and tried pointing to herself. "Destiny Martin."

"Destiny is a really beautiful name." (Although I could see that Destiny was clearly struggling to cling to life, I knew that a stab wound to the stomach like hers meant that things would take a little bit longer, so I wanted to keep her talking and as alive as possible until help arrived) "Do you know who did this to you?"

It was becoming harder for her to talk already; even though it looked she had been attacked less than ten minutes ago.

"They went… that way…"

Destiny pointed—or she tried to—in a particular direction to the right of where we were, but she gave a hiss of pain as the knife moved a little deeper. She made to pull it out, but I stopped her.

"Destiny, I'm so sorry, but if you do that, you're going to bleed out faster, and I need you to stay alive."

She acknowledged this and began looking around for something. I joined her in looking at the surrounding brush.

"What are you looking for?"

"My baby… they took everything… but her…"

My heart dropped into my stomach at these words.

Here was this poor defenseless teenage girl, alone in Central Park at night, stabbed in the stomach and now a robbery victim who has a _baby? _

Good God.

Before I could put more energy into looking for Destiny's daughter, a sudden high pitched wailing that I recognized as a newborn's cries was heard about five feet away and to the left of where we were, right by where Kevin was standing, just now having finished his calls and putting away his phone. Consequently, he also heard the baby, but _he _almost jumped out of his own skin because she was that close to him.

We watched as he bent down to pick her up, and I was surprised when he nudged a bright pink laundry basket out of the brush, but I became relieved when I realized that it had been serving as a bed for the baby, meaning that she hadn't been directly exposed to the elements. Kevin quickly brought the brought the baby over for Destiny to see in the light provided by the nearby lamppost.

"Shhhh, baby girl." Destiny soothed her even though she was in tears and it was getting harder for her to breathe. "You're… going to be… okay."

The baby immediately began to simmer down at the sound of her mother's voice and tried to follow it. This baby looked to be just under twenty-four hours old, so she clearly didn't have her fine motor skills yet, so she began whimpering in frustration because she wanted to be with Destiny but couldn't move there on her own. Kevin thoughtfully brought the baby brought the baby closer and helped Destiny to hold her, careful not to get close to the knife.

"Mommy loves… you, sweet girl." Destiny placed a kiss to her baby's forehead. "You'll be… okay…"

Destiny took another shuddering breath and then died.

In my arms.

Of course, I began crying right away, even if I'd known the girl for all of ten minutes, and although this was not the first time I'd been close enough to a dying person to see the light go out in their eyes, I was crying more about the fact that Destiny's daughter was now going to grow up without ever having known anything about her mother.

The help that Kevin called for arrived at that moment and while he helped out with her body, a uniform that I recognized from the Twelfth Precinct helped me to the bench out on the path and I told him everything I could before the baby started getting confused and making a fuss. I assured the uniform that I was going to be okay by myself for a few minutes and as he left, I turned to the baby and started talking to her, doing the best I could to keep her calm. As far as babies went, she didn't dislike the sound of my voice, but she was getting increasingly restless.

"Why don't we see what all your mommy put in your laundry basket, Little One?" I gave her tiny arms a gentle rub, trying to keep her warm because she was dressed only in a hospital-issued onesie, knit cap and pair of socks. "You must be cold!"

She started whimpering a little louder, as if to say "_Duh, _I'm cold! Hurry up!" and then she squirmed even closer to me, trying to absorb as much of my body heat as she could.

"Okay, okay! No need to fuss—I'm going as fast as I can!"

Holding the child close, I used the other hand to pull the laundry basket closer—luckily, it had been declared safe for me to touch with gloves and brought over by a uniform—and looked inside it. All that was in there was a standard, but thin hospital-issued newborn blanket, spread out like the baby had kicked it off her legs. Deciding that this was better than nothing, I picked it up and swaddled the baby up in it, quite pleased when she relaxed almost immediately.

"There you go!" I cooed to her in the same voice I use with my two younger children. "You're all nice and toasty!"

The baby gave a contented sigh, closed her eyes and started sucking her thumb.

"Jenny," my husband said my name to me as he walked over to me. "The ambulance technicians are ready to take her now."

Out of motherly instinct, I shielded the baby from him. "No. I don't want to be separated from her just yet."

"It's okay." He assured me as he helped me to my feet and picked up the laundry basket. "They said that you can keep holding her until we get to the hospital since she's comfortable with you."

"I like the sound of that," I told him as I started following his lead to towards the ambulance. "But have you called your sister yet? We told her and Jung that we would be back by now to relieve them of their babysitting duties! Our kids are at _their _place!"

"I called them already," he promised. "And I told them that things are going to take a little longer. Tillie didn't have a problem with it, and neither did Jung. Now let's focus—we're here."

I was already startled to see that we had already arrived at the ambulance, but I cooperated with the ambulance tech as she did her thing and I did my best to soothe the baby when she woke up in a grumpy mood after being poked and prodded at. While I soothed her, I heard a soft gasp from Kevin and when I turned to look at him, I saw that he was next to me, propping up the laundry basket on the ambulance bumper and holding a business-sized manila envelope.

"Where did that envelope come from?" I asked. "Why does it have you gasping like that?"

"I found it in the basket, so it must have been under the blanket." He explained. "It has me gasping because of whom it's addressed to and what I found inside."

He came closer and showed me the untidy inscription on the front of envelope: '_To Detective Javier Esposito and also his wife, Delaney Parish Esposito, Medical Examiner.' _Two business cards with Javier and Lanie's names were attached to the front with paper clips.

I looked back at my husband. "Well, Destiny couldn't have gotten any more specific than that, but my question is—how did she know their names?"

"I found adoption papers and what looks like a private letter inside the envelope, but I also found two business cards—one with Javier's name and contact info on it, and the other with Lanie's. Both of the cards look a little grubby, but they're readable."

"Destiny must have been someone that Jessica Rose and Melissa met while they were gone, and one of them must have given the cards to her!" I realized, suddenly feeling more like a detective than the high school teacher that I am. "How else would she have their cards?"

Kevin was about to answer that when the technician tapped me on the shoulder and helping me pay attention to the main reason I was even still on the crime scene.

"Mrs Ryan, I have some good news and some bad news for you."

My hands instinctively curled around the baby as she was handed back to me. "I'd like to hear the good news first, if you don't mind."

"The good news is that Baby Girl is doing pretty well, considering that she was left by herself during her mother's attack. She's doing well because she's dressed and has been wrapped up in her blanket, so that's keeping her warm."

"If the good news is that she's warm, then what's the bad news?"

"The bad news is that if we don't get her to the hospital right now to get her temperature back to what's normal for a newborn and if we don't get her hooked up to an infant IV drip, I will not be able to give you any information about her life expectancy through the night."

I felt the color drain from my face at this and allowed the paramedic technician to help me up into the ambulance, and Kevin was right behind me, still holding onto the baby's laundry basket. The trip to the hospital and getting the baby settled was a blur, but eventually, I was in a private nursery room, dressed in blue scrubs and sitting in a rocking chair, rocking back and forth, doing my best yet again to soothe the baby, who was becoming very hard to please because she kept having her sleeping patterns interrupted. (She was also not a fan of the IV drip that had been inserted near the outside base of her foot, but what could we do? She really needed to be hooked up the electrolyte drip so that she could stay hydrated. She was also refusing to eat any of the bottle formula that Emily had made for her) A nurse tried to take her from me to see if she would prefer one of them, but she began bawling her eyes out the second we were separated, so she was quickly reunited with me.

Emily and Thomas were both in the nursery with us because she's the new head of the OBGYN department now, and he's the head pediatric surgeon, meaning that special cases like this one fall under their jurisdiction. They both oversaw our activities and took notes on the baby's progress, but left Kevin and me to our own devices while we made some important phone calls.

He called Javier while I called Kate.

"Jennifer Scout Duffy Ryan," my friend grumbled when she answered her phone. "Do you have any idea what time it is, _and _that I've had a very long day? Alexis and Toby aren't even here, and Lily Joy, Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna are finally _all _sleeping for the _night! _Rick and I are just about to—"

I cut her off, shuddering. "Ew, ew, ew! I don't even want to _know _what you and Rick are up to, especially if it's to do with baby making!" (There's always going to be a part of me that's going to wig out when other people talk about sex, thanks to a traumatic childhood memory from when I was eight and accidentally walked in on my parents doing it when they thought that I had been asleep. Even in adulthood, I remain permanently scarred) "And don't you and your hubby have enough kids already?"

Kate's tone was a tad smug and superior. "While you work on getting your mind out of the gutter, I'll have you know that my husband and I are actually about to sit down and watch a movie, thank you, very much. No more baby making for awhile _yet." _(Even I had to laugh a little with Kate when we both heard the distinct sound on her end of the line of Castle sputtering on his drink upon hearing his wife's last comment) "What's up, though, Jenny? You hardly ever call me this late."

"Kevin and I found a young teenage girl, about fifteen or sixteen years old, at the most, in the Ramble, and she had been stabbed in the gut, Kate." I told her this without any preamble, bending down to give the squirmy baby in my arms a kiss of reassurance on the top of her head. "Her name was Destiny Martin, and she passed away in my arms right before help arrived. We don't even know who stabbed her, and I'm pretty sure that she didn't know, either. If she did, that secret went to the grave with her tonight."

There was a shocked silence from Kate and then: "How are _you _doing?"

"Don't mind me." I spoke dismissively, not wanting to tell her that I've actually seen people die in front of me before, thanks to the part of my past I'd rather forget about) "I promise you that I'm fine, Kate, and before you ask—yes, we _have _given our accounts of what happened, but I need _you _to come down here straight away."

"Of course," (I heard her getting to her feet and moving around and collecting her things, getting ready to leave her loft) "But now you're starting to sound frantic, Jenny. What else happened tonight?"

"Destiny Martin left behind a brand new baby girl who is a little less than a whole day old and is resting on a chest with an IV drip in the base of her foot in a private nursery at Saint Brigid's Hospital as we speak. She doesn't have a name as far as we know, and she's the most restless baby I've ever met."

Kate let out a long single note of a whistle because she obviously hadn't been expecting to hear that and was very surprised, but I kept talking, almost done.

"There was also a big envelope found with the baby, and it's addressed to Lanie and Javier! Kevin is on the phone with them right now."

"I'm on my way. I'll be there soon."

_Lanie's Point of View, En route to the hospital _

While Javier had been on the phone with Kevin, I could tell that whatever was going on, it was going to need the whole family in attendance, so I'd busied myself with getting Leon for a car ride while Yoshi, bless his heart, decided that he was going to get the half-awake Grace ready to go (he had been visiting Jessica, discussing plans about moving house), and that left my firstborn to take care of her own firstborn, who was awake, but dressed her favorite pink footy bunny pajamas. By the time Javier was done with the call, he was surprised to see all of the little kids were bundled up (and mostly awake) and ready to go for a late-night car ride, and he didn't even question it.

Instead, while he, Jessica, Yoshi and I got ourselves ready—while standing just out of the little kids' earshot—Javier told us what Kevin had told him, and we were stunned to hear that the Ryans had found a teenage girl in the Ramble at Central Park who had been robbed, stabbed with a knife and left to die. That was horrifying enough all by itself, but Javier went on to tell us that the teenage girl, Destiny Martin, had passed away in Jenny's arms.

But what capped it all off was that Destiny had left behind an infant daughter… and a large manila envelope addressed to Javier and me.

I've always enjoyed a good mystery—I'll admit to having _all _of Castle's books, and I know that Javier's mother has them all in Spanish—but this was definitely a first…

An orphan child with a letter addressed to my husband and me?

We don't even know the child's parents!

Nevertheless, I was very intrigued—as was Javier—and we all piled into the car for a trip to the hospital.

I'm excited to meet this baby girl whom the Ryans found because I feel drawn to her, but I have so many questions.

Who killed Destiny?

_Why _was her mother even killed in the first place?

(I mean, it was a robbery, but still—was it random, or was Destiny mixed up in something she shouldn't have been?)

Who is the baby's father? _Where _is her father? Is he even in the picture?

How did Destiny even know about Javier and me in the first place?

Why is Jessica being so quiet about this?

I thought she was done with harboring resentment towards babies, or whatever that was she was feeling before she left in October.

Her behavior since Javier told us what happened has been very weird…

"Lanie? Are you in there, chica?"

Looking around, I saw that I'd been so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I'd been functioning on autopilot and didn't even realize that we were already just outside the nursery where the Ryans were until I saw my husband handing me a paper smock to put on over my clothes.

"Yeah, I'm here." I took the smock and put it on over my clothes. "I was just thinking that this is a crazy life that you and I have."

Javier kissed me on the temple. "But you know that I wouldn't have it any other way, and _I _know that you wouldn't, either."

Of course, I couldn't really argue with his words at all (not that I'd want to ever contradict what he'd just said) because Javier and I have been friends for our entire lives, and we went through so many big things together—life, death and even absolute rock bottom when we were adults—but we've also learned so much from those years that we came to agree during my pregnancy with Grace that we'd would never change any of it because if we did, we wouldn't be the people who we are now.

(It's also sobering to think that by the time I found out that Grace was on the way, we had been back together for only six months, and we'd only just announced our relationship to our friends a month before that. What's even more sobering to think about is that we can say that Jessica reuniting with us was the main reason that we stayed together and got married. She made us realize that we needed to all be a family again)

"Is everybody else ready?"

"Jessica Rose, Yoshi, Bella and I all have smocks on," he indicated himself and the aforementioned people. "But Grace and Leon don't need them because they're too little."

"That sounds about right." I finished tying up my smock and took Leon from him because he wanted me to hold him. "Okay—I'm ready to go in."

Javier held open the door as I filed in with the others, and as Yoshi and Jessica reminded Bella about the importance of taking in a quiet voice, I saw Jenny sitting in a rocking chair by the window. Her husband was right beside her.

A wiggling pink bundle was in Jenny's arms, and as Javier and I got closer, we saw the baby start waving her arms and legs, fussing about whatever it is that babies fuss about. She was fussing so much that her little feet broke free from the blankets, and we could see that she had an IV needle hooked up to one of her feet because at twenty-four hours old, it would be a sturdier insertion sight for the needle that was hooked up the IV drip that was getting fluid into her system that would help keep her electrolytes to help her health get back on track.

"So this is Destiny's baby?" Javier asked as Jenny worked on getting the baby to calm down. "Does she shave a name?"

Kevin shook his head. "As far as we know, she does not. I didn't hear Destiny say a name. Did you, Jenny?"

"No," she shook her head. "But the envelope that Kevin found probably has a name written down on the documents."

"Where _is _the envelope?"

Jenny nodded towards a little table next to her chair. "It's right there, Lanie, but I really think that you or your husband hold the baby for now so she can get used to one of you. I'll just warn you that she's incredibly fussy."

Javier immediately stepped forward. "I'll hold her first. I've always been really good with babies."

_Javier's Point of View _

After a little bit of maneuvering, I had switched places with Jenny and was now the one holding the baby. As soon as the Ryans were gone—even Emily and Thomas, who had been there before us and no longer were—my family immediately pressed closer for a better look.

"She's really beautiful." Bella breathed as she rolled back the sleeves of her smock and bunny pajamas. "She's one of the prettiest babies I've ever seened in my entire life!"

Even Grace leaned closer from her perch in Yoshi's arms because she was curious.

"What do you think, Gracie?" I heard Yoshi ask her. "Is she a cutie?"

Grace giggled and gave a little nod. "Bebé es _way _cute!"

Bella looked inquiringly at her parents. "Do you _two _think she's cute? I already agree with my Gracie about that."

"I most certainly agree, as well." Yoshi assured her and then looked to Jessica for confirmation. "What do you think, Jessie?"

"She is most definitely one of the prettiest babies _I've _ever seen."

Bella became scandalized almost immediately. "What about _me, _mama?"

"Don't worry, mija—you are still my little gem."

Bella breathed a sigh of relief and edged closer to the baby again, as did Yoshi and Grace, but Jessica hung back for a moment before joining them, looking sad and lost in thought. Lanie also noticed this and she quickly interrupted Jessica's train of thoughts before she wandered off on a rabbit trail.

"What are you thinking about, mija? Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," she replied in a stiff tone as put her hands in the small of her back, supporting it as we all saw her belly moving around, almost of its own accord because her baby was particularly active. "I really don't."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I will talk about it letter, maybe, but just not now." She turned towards Yoshi, apparently done with the topic. "Baby, I am _really _tired. Can we go find a place to sleep?"

"Sure, but I think that Grace has finally hit a brick wall, and I think Bella is about to. Look."

Grace had finally fallen asleep against Yoshi's shoulder and was clinging tightly to his paper smock with one of her little fists so she felt secure, whereas Bella was finally starting to fight the fatigue that she must have been feeling and was leaning against a wall for support because she was too confused to find one of her parents to lean against.

Despite her own sleepiness, Jessica chuckled. "We'll just bring them with us."

"Where are you all going to go?" I asked as the little baby in my arms began fidgeting and whining as she tried to make herself comfortable. "This hospital is a pretty big place."

"And I've been running around these corridors for almost my entire life. I think I'll be able to find us an empty on-call room, or something."

"Nobody's going to mind, are they?"

Yoshi shook his head. "Not a single bit."

Jessica eyed Leon. "We can also take Leon, if you like."

Right at that moment, Leon began stirring and Lanie shook her head. "That won't be necessary, but thanks. You should all go ahead and go before Bella falls asleep on her feet because we all know that she can do that. One of us will find you later."

Jessica and Yoshi said goodbye and left the room with two very tired children, leaving us alone with the baby. Lanie had barely pulled up a stool to sit beside me when the door to the room opened again and Kate entered.

"Where did you come from, boss?" I asked in a puzzled tone.

"I have so many ways to answer that," our friend's eyes twinkled in amusement as she approached. "But I'll have you know that Jenny called me before you two got here and I was chatting with her and Kevin in the lobby for a few minutes just now."

"Have you seen Emily or Thomas? They were supposed to be here when we arrived, but we haven't seen them yet."

"I just saw Emily on my way in here, and she said that Thomas had an emergency to attend to with one of his patients."

"What about Lady Doctor Ryan?"

"She'll be in here in a minute because she's mixing up a bottle of formula up for the baby. Emily thought that the baby might be hungry."

We all looked back at the child and saw that she was as wiggly as ever, but was now sucking on one of her thumbs in an effort to soothe herself.

"I hope that's what it is because I've never met a child as fussy as this little niña right here." I told Kate. "We don't know about Jessica, but we know that our other kids were never _this _fussy."

"Even Leon isn't." Lanie added as she turned our now-awake son around in her arms so she could see what was going on. "You and Rick have babysat him enough times to know that he is one of the most relaxed kids on the planet!"

"I can't argue with that one." Kate suddenly remembered that she had something for us in her bag and pulled out a baby outfit for us to see. "I came by for a quick visit to see her for myself and I also figured that she could do with some warm clean clothes after being out in the cold."

She handed the clothes to Lanie, who immediately made motherly cooing noises when she saw them. I just smiled.

The outfit consisted of a pale green onesie with cobalt blue butterfly on the front, and underneath the picture, there a line of gold lettering that read _A baby is a little bit of heaven on earth; _a pair of stretchy blue pants to go over the baby's legs, green socks and a green knit cap.

"This was one of Johanna's outfits that we got when Rick and Alexis were filling hers and Jeremiah's closets up since I wasn't there to do it myself, but we never got around to putting it on her because there were so many other things to choose from. She's never going to miss it."

"Thanks, Kate." Lanie thanked her. "This was very thoughtful of you."

Kate beamed. "You're welcome, and call me if you need anything—I'll be back later."

We said goodbye to her as she left, Emily swept into the room, a full infant bottle and other newborn accessories in her arms.

"How is our littlest patient doing?" she asked as she closed the door behind her and set everything on the counter by the sink near the ensuite bathroom. "I'd expect that the IV needle is causing her some discomfort because nobody in their right mind likes to be stuck with needles. Is she still fidgety?"

"No, surprisingly, but I think she's finally warming up to me because she's only just beginning to relax."

The baby was still sucking her thumb, but was now snuggling up against me, trying to keep her bright blue eyes wide open and yawning hugely every now and then.

"I have a bottle here of infant formula here," Emily picked it up and offered it to me to give to the baby. "So let's start with seeing if she'll take it from you, Javier."

"What about me?" Lanie protested half-heartedly.

"Javier and the baby have established a bond with each other that we don't want to break right away." Emily explained patiently. "We'll try it with you in a few minutes if she won't take a bottle from him first."

The baby spat out the bottle the second I tried to get her to take it, and she refused it a few more times, but Emily wasn't out of ideas just yet.

"Javier, do you know what Kangaroo Care is?"

I nodded. "Yes. We used it for a long time when Lanie's little sister Jenner was born because she was a preemie."

"How do you feel about using it with the baby right now?"

I shrugged and set the bottle down next to the yet-to-be-opened envelope. "If it helps her out, I'm all for it."

Happy with this answer, Emily took the baby from me to get her prepared while I quickly took off my paper smock, jacket and white muscle t-shirt that I'd been wearing. Just because, Lanie gave me a quick peck on the lips and told me—in Spanish, so that Emily wouldn't understand—that she is never ever going to get tired of looking at my body. In her eyes, my chiseled abs and big muscles remind her of Hercules.

About a minute later, Emily was placing the baby in my arms and as I held her close and began rocking back and forth, I noticed an immediate change in her body language: she cuddled up to my chest, putting her little head over my chest before finally letting herself relax. She even emitted a little sigh of blissful contentment because she was that happy to get so much of my body heat.

"All she wanted was to hear my heartbeat and get warm." I murmured, truly touched that the baby liked me so much. "Imagine that."

We all watched as the tiny human, who was in just a diaper and knit cap (as per Kangaroo Care guidelines), relax against me once as if it was the most natural thing in the world and she had done it one hundred times before.

One thing that nobody had really mentioned before was that this little girl wasn't at all dark-skinned like Lanie and I are. In fact, she's quite the opposite—beautifully soft cream-colored skin, with dark blue eyes and brown freckles on the bridge of her little nose. I haven't seen her hair yet because her head has been covered with a cap this whole time, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if she's blond.

"Should I try to give her a bottle now?" Lanie asked after a few moments when the baby had started making mewling noises like a little kitten. "My heart is going to pieces, hearing her cry like that."

Emily agreed that this was a good idea, and I traded places and babies with Lanie so that she was in the rocking chair with the baby, and I was perched on the stool next to her with Leon, who had been watching the scene with rapt interest the whole time.

Speaking of the baby, she was so ready for the bottle that she immediately latched onto it and sucking away, drinking it all up.

"So she wanted to hear your heartbeat, Javi, but apparently, all _I'm _good for is food." Lanie pretended to gripe. "Jessica is her papa's girl and loves to eat, so she was probably like that as a tiny baby, and Grace was and Leon still is, and now this little girl is, too. All of my babies are funny that way."

She realized with a star what she'd said and froze, as did Emily and I. In a heartbeat, my heart almost broke as I watched Lanie blink furiously, trying really hard not to cry as she preoccupied herself with checking on the baby's progress with the bottle. Emily realized that Lanie had brought up a really sensitive topic and quietly vacated the room, leaving me and Leon to sit next to the rocking chair again.

"Delaney," I addressed her seriously as Leon babbled mindlessly, nodding off and jerking back awake as he did so. "I like her and I really want her, but we don't know the whole story."

"I know," she sighed and then rested the baby against her shoulder and began patting her on the back to burp her. "But I want her, too, Javi. I know we agreed that we weren't going to look into the adoption process until after Leon turns one, but I think that we found Esposito Baby Number Four already."

The baby suddenly let out a good healthy burp and vomited onto the burp cloth that Lanie had draped over her own shoulder before she even held the baby. She cleaned her up, but I think that it was out of reflex that Lanie cooed to the baby in Spanish about how she did a good a job and that she was proud of her. As Lanie fawned over her, my heart turned to butter, just like it does every time I see my wife with a baby, ours or not.

"Javi, I think that she's finally getting tired," (that was an understatement because the baby had suddenly gone from the crankiest baby in the world to the sleepiest because she was now yawning constantly) "But why don't you try talking to her or maybe sing her a lullaby?"

I moved a little closer and started to sing the baby a lullaby. She was fast asleep against Lanie's chest before I was even done with the second verse.

(Papa's girl already—wait, what?)

"Well, Baby Girl is definitely out for the count," Lanie laughed. "But what about Leon?"

I looked down at him and saw that he was wide awake but leaning towards Lanie, wanting her attention.

"He's good, but I think that he wants you right now. Do you think that you can hold both of them at the same time/."

"Definitely, but we've just got to be careful that Leon doesn't wake her up or jostle her IV needle or cords."

"We'll manage it—just watch."

Ever so carefully, I moved Leon from my arms to Lanie's, where she immediately took him and laid him next to the baby, keeping both of them secure by wrapping an arm over both of their backs.

"What do you think of the new baby, mijo?" I asked him. "Is she cool enough?"

All by himself, Leon moved closer to the sleeping infant and reached one of his little hands out to her even littler one. To mine and Lanie's complete amazement, he rested his hand on top of Baby Girl's and drifted off to Dreamland, lulled there, no doubt by the sound of Lanie's heartbeat.

"Oh, boy." I laughed and shook my head. "It looks like Baby Girl—or whatever her name is going to be—has just earned herself a lifelong best friend and _bodyguard _in Leon because he volunteered himself!"

"Mama's little gentleman," Lanie kissed our son on the top of his curly black locks before looking back at me. "But what do you say—have we found our last baby? I know Leon isn't quite six months old yet, so that means that the age gap is going to be a little hard to explain…"

"We've definitely found her," (Lanie gave an excited gasp and tried her hardest to not wake the babies) "And I think that she fits in perfectly because Jessica, _Yoshi, _Bella, Gracie and even _Leon _like her, but I have two conditions."

"Name them."

"First, we are very open with Baby Girl about her having been adopted because let's face it—she's a white kid who's going to be raised by a Puerto Rican/African-American family, all of whom speak Spanish as a second language at home. Questions are _bound _to come up when she realizes that there's a difference in our skin colors."

Lanie nodded in agreement. "We will be _very _honest with her, so long as we also teach her that skin color isn't a big deal in our family and never will be. After all… you married _me, _and I'm dark-skinned but not Hispanic. Jessica is practically married to Yoshi, and she's a little mixture of us, while Yoshi is Japanese! Just think about how beautiful their baby is going to be, and speaking of Jessica's children, even Bella is multiracial—Puerto Rican, African-American _and _Irish…"

"All that to say that you definitely agree about being honest with Baby Girl when she starts asking questions about skin color?"

She gave another nod of agreement. "What's your second condition?"

"That we look at that envelope. I'm starting to get anxious now."

"So am I—go for it."

I picked up the envelope and pulled out the first thing my fingers came into contact with—adoption papers for the baby, but not only that: these papers were completely filled out, minus the mandatory parts for Lanie to fill out… as well as the areas that required the signatures of a judge and two witnesses.

(Damn…. Destiny really thought things out…)

The second thing I pulled out was a thick handwritten letter which I immediately read to Lanie.

'_Hello, Mister and Mrs. Esposito—my name is Destiny Arianne Martin, and I'm not quite sure how old I am (sixteen, tops) because I've been an orphan since at least 2001, when I was just a year or so old. I've never known my age once at any point in my life, so I've given up on trying to figure it out. _

_I was lucky enough to meet your daughter, Jessica Rose, and her friend Melissa, at the shelter in Hell's Kitchen where I had been staying after getting kicked out of a group home after being kicked out of the one I grew up in over in Westchester County. I didn't get to Melissa all that well because she left less than an hour after even arriving. I don't know where Melissa went, but Jessica stayed with me because we were roommates, and she was really tired because of how heavily pregnant she is. _

_I'm forever grateful to Jessica for the rest of my life because she literally arrived at a time when I was upset and really confused about my situation. See, even as I write these words, I'm in the middle of a ridiculously long labor, but at the rate things are going, I won't be able to start pushing for a long time yet. (I'm also medicated on pain medication at the moment, so the only thing I can feel is lots of pressure on my rock-hard belly) As for my baby, all I know is that it's a girl and she's very happy and very healthy. I love her so much, but I just can't keep her because my child deserves much better than the life of a drifter. _

_I was telling this to Jessica, and she went on to tell me her life story, especially the part about how the two of you put her into the foster care system when she was a newborn so she could have a chance to have the life that you two wanted her to have but couldn't provide for her… and she also told me about how much she adores you two and thinks that you're awesome parents. Jessica is pretty sure that you'd be able to help me put my baby girl up for adoption. Would you help? Please? _

_Or… if you like my daughter, would you adopt her into your family? I know about Gabriella, Grace, and the other little one who has surely been born by now, but a part of me would feel better knowing that if for whatever reason the adoption process didn't work, my daughter was adopted into a family that I already approve of. _

_Please think about it. My baby girl is the only thing I've done right. She is all I have, all I've ever had. _

_If you do adopt her, tell her that I love her more than I've ever loved anybody or anything in the world, but I'm so sorry that I can't be with her. Jessica knows that I would have to bail the moment I hand my daughter over, and that's because I just can't let myself get any more attached than I already am. Please don't let my girl think that I hate her because I don't and never ever will, but if she wants to come looking for me, don't let her do it until she's eighteen or at least mature enough to handle it if she can't find me because I've… died. _

_Because you two are associated with law enforcement, I should tell you: I've tried looking for my own parents (Arthur and Lacy Martin of Westchester County) but I have the distinct feeling that they've been dead since 2000 or 2001, and that makes me really, really sad. Also: I wouldn't begin to know or want to know who my daughter's father is because I was violated by a stranger nine months ago when I was on a day trip with the group home in Central Park, watching a performance. _

_Whatever you do if you find him, don't tell him about the baby. If he went around hurting people, he doesn't deserve to know about what happened to me. _

_And… I've chosen not to name my daughter because I would get too attached if I was the one to do that because as long as I've know she's there, I've always known that I have to give her up. _

_Doing that is going to be the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but I'm doing it because it has always felt like the right thing. Plus, I'd be giving her something that I've never had for myself but desperately want for her because I gave birth to her: liberty. _

_(If you want proof that I am who I say I am, ask Jessica about me and she'll tell you that she gave me the two business cards on the front of the envelope) _

_I have to go, but I really don't want to. _

_(Baby Girl, mama loves you, but don't be afraid to let other people love you, too, all right? Do me proud and be a lovely and well-behaved person for whomever it is that adopts you. Listen to them, and you'll do just fine) _

_So long, and thanks for your time. _

_Sincerely, _

_Destiny Arianne Martin' _

I put the letter down and looked at Lanie, who was in tears. "Oh, my God! No wonder Jessica was acting so weird when we came in here—she knew Destiny, and she knows the baby, too! This must really be messing with her…"

"Jessica Rose just can't ever win."

"Not often." I reached over and wiped her tears. "Are we for sure keeping Baby Girl now?"

"Oh, absolutely."

The baby suddenly yawned a huge yawn, moved even closer to Leon, seeking more security and fell into an even deeper sleep.

"We'll start sorting out the final adoption process in the morning, but there's one thing that we _really _need to sort out right now."

"Our new daughter's name?"

Lanie grinned at my choice of words. "I want her to have two middle names like how you, Grace and Leon do, and I have an idea already, but as the baby's adoptive mother, I'm warning you that I will put my babies down right now and kick your behind to Kingdom Come if you laugh!"

"I promise I'm not going to laugh, chica!" (I held my hands up in the surrender motion for good measure because I know that she knows that even though I went through training for the Special Forces and she didn't, we're still evenly matched for strength because when we were growing up at Soundview, she was the only girl the neighborhood boys were scared of because she wasn't afraid to fight back if they pushed her first) "Tell me your idea now. I want to know what it is."

"Ryan Jennifer." She said simply. "Kevin and Jenny found her, so I want to think of some way to honor them."

"Well, I think those names are absolutely perfect for her, Delaney."

Lanie brightened. "You think so? We can't give the name Kevin to a girl, but Ryan works just as well because it goes both ways like how my first name does, and Jennifer is the more formal version of Jenny, so I—"

Because I wouldn't have a chance to get a word in edgewise if I didn't interrupt her, I put a finger to her lips and she quickly fell silent. "I still think that those names are perfect, but does this mean that you're also thinking what I'm thinking and that you want the Ryans to be her godparents?"

Lanie nodded in response, and it was almost shy. "I'm glad we agree on that because I also just thought of a first name for her and it cam straight out of Destiny's letter."

"What name would that be?" I asked, admiring how Lanie's motherly instincts concerning the new addition to our family were already in full force.

"Liberty, and we could call her Libby for short."

"Liberty Ryan Jennifer Esposito…" I tried out. "That has a beautiful ring to it, and I just know that my partner and his wife are going to past flattered that we named one of our babies after them."

Our daughter and son both stirred slightly in their sleep but we quickly soothed them and got them to sleep again, and when we knew they were out for the count, we watched them sleep.

But you know… while both of the kids looked content in their slumber, I could have sworn that our daughter was actually smiling.

Huh…

Tonight, even though we weren't looking for it to happen, Lanie and I became parents again.

To our daughter.

Liberty.

And now, in light of everything that's happened in the past few hours, it's only fitting that a verse from one of my mother's favorite songs that she just loves to sing has been running through my head since I had started reading Destiny's letter aloud.

'_There's a place of quiet stillness 'tween the light and shadows reach where the hurting and the hopeless seek everlasting peace. Words of men and songs of angels whisper comfort bittersweet, mending grief and life eternal where joy and sorrow meet.' _

**I'm sorry that this one turned out to be so long! There won't be any more long ones for awhile!**


	8. Sins To Atone For, Part One

**Seriously: is there anybody left out there? I know that last chapter was pretty long, but I'm going to keep things way shorter than that from now on. Would you please take the time to review? It's really not that complicated… **

**(One last thing—the term 'Maa' is the Hindi word for mother)**

_Next day, May 3 _

_Chelsea, Manhattan _

_Singh house, 9:30 AM _

_Juliana's Point of View _

I'm so glad that today is Saturday and my day off rotation at the hospital because I don't think I would be able to last too long if I went in. There's been an awful flu-like cold circulating through my house for the past few weeks, and it's been unpleasant for everyone who's had it.

It's gone through Sonali and Parvati, but now Raja has it and I have a lighter version of it. He and I are doing our best to stay positive, but now I have to really redouble my effort because I saw an article in today's newspaper that deeply disturbed me.

It regards the murder of Jordan's FBI partner, Special Agent Charles Avery, and how the Westies gang is the prime suspects in his death because the manner in which Avery was killed is exactly one of two ways that the Westies have been known to kill their victims.

I would know how they kill because for a time, I had an affair with Dick Coonan, one of the most prolific members and… Raja is our lovechild.

The hardest thing for me to think about is which I'm more ashamed of: the fact that Jalil and I got into an awful fight over nothing almost eight years ago which caused me to take the girls and leave; or that I went as far as to fall in with the wrong crowd and have an affair with one of the most dangerous and wanted men in the whole city.

I regret my actions, but I've come to terms with them, and so has Jalil. It wasn't easy and we risked a divorce, but we did it.

…Back on topic, though…

Thanks to my association with the Westies, I earned my way into their inner circle without much effort, meaning that I know a good deal of their secrets and could easily charm them out of any of the guys at the Wolfhound Pub in just one evening.

"Maa? Is it Saturday yet? I've been forgetting the days of the week since I've been sick. Please can I watch cartoons in here?"

I looked down at Raja, who had fallen asleep in my bed and was now wide awake.

"Yes, it's finally Saturday, and yes, you may watch cartoons in here, but I really think that you should have a bathroom break first."

"_Why?" _He whined.

"Sometimes your body can get a little goofy when you're sick. Do you know how long you've been asleep?"

"No."

"Fifteen hours."

"That's a _really _long time!"

"Don't I know it. How are you feeling right now?"

"Icky."

He stretched his arms out, the shirt of his pajama scrubs rising up a little bit.

"Are you gonna be able to get to the bathroom okay? Sometimes a sleep that long fogs up your brain a bit."

"Yep!" he chirped as her slid off the bed and hurried towards the ensuite bathroom. "No sweat!"

As soon as he shut the door behind him, there was movement on my bed from my two dogs—Gizmo the Boxer and Widget the Beagle—both of whom had moved from where they were camped out by my feet. King Kong, Parvati's tiny black fluff ball of a kitten, was dangling from Gizmo's mouth, the way an older dog carries their young. I think that Gizmo, and sometimes even Widget, think that King Kong is their puppy.

"Hello to all of you, too." I greeted the animals as they all came close to me for a back rub or a scratch between the ears. "I'm so glad you all waited until Raja left before deciding to congregate up here. There wouldn't have been enough room, otherwise…"

As if mocking me, Widget plopped down in the space that Raja had been occupying previously and curled up, in a ball, content to be still. Gizmo, on the other hand, sat down in front of me, tilting his head to the side with King Kong still dangling from his mouth. The cat didn't seem to mind at all, but my dog was giving me an expectant look, like he was expecting praise.

Before I say anything, there was the sound of giggles as Raja reappeared and clambered back onto the bed, addressing me.

"Maa, is Gizmo thinking again that King Kong is a puppy?"

"I'm afraid so."

Raja turned to my other puppy and spoke in a stern tone with his hands cupped together and outstretched.

"Gizmo, you spit him out right now!"

My dog did as he was instructed and deposited the kitten into Raja's hands before going to curl up next to Widget. As Raja preoccupied himself with getting King Kong comfortable and free of dog slobber, I picked up the remote and turned the TV on, flipping the stations until I found Raja's favorite cartoon station and then left the room, where I immediately bumped into Parvati in the hallway, who was looking bewildered.

"Maa, have you seen King Kong? I can't find him!"

"He's with Raja and the dogs on my bed," I consoled her. "Because Gizmo and Widget have it in their heads _again _that he's their puppy. King Kong doesn't seem to mind, though."

Parvati now had a look of amusement on her face. "My kitty is funny like that."

I nodded in agreement and glanced at the clock on the wall. "Since you're over your cold now, and it's a Saturday morning, so you know what that means, right?"

The eleven-year-old gave a dramatic sigh. "Going to the library with Papa Jim, Tokutaro and Mitsunobu so that we can finish our homework before going to kickboxing practice after that…"

"Exactly right. Quit being a drama queen, my lovely. You know you love Saturdays."

"Yeah, but how come _Sonali _gets to sleep in? _She _has practice, _too!" _

"Sonali also happens to be a teenager who holds a complicated position at the animal shelter, and she was working all day yesterday. She needs her sleep!"

Parvati continued to give me grief, but hurried away to get ready for her long way out. I made it as far as the landing on the stairs before I ran into Jalil.

"Juliana, what are you doing up?" he asked, his native Indian accented voice full of concern. "I was just coming to check on you and Raja."

"I'm fine_, _Jalil, and so is Raja." (My own accent was nearly identical to his even though I had picked it up years ago when we first met) "He's awake now and watching cartoons on our bed. Gizmo, Widget and King Kong are keeping him company."

"All of that side, you're sick and should be back in bed!"

"I feel _fine." _(Ever since the complications that came with the miscarriage of my very first pregnancy, Jalil has been almost hyper-vigilant when I get sick)_ "_I really do, and you know I can't stand being cooped up for too long."

"The last time that you were as ill as you have been," he protested. "You were pregnant with Raja and struggling with morning sickness that lasted the whole nine months!"

"You keep talking, and I'll push you off a cliff with no shame!" I warned him, keeping my voice down so that none of our kids overheard us. "Jalil, you were there after our son's birth when Amaya sat me down and explained that it's going to take a miracle to conceive again! Although… she's been friends with us for so long that I couldn't imagine anybody else being the surrogate mother for our new baby right now…"

My shoulders gave a little bit of a sag as a sudden sadness overwhelmed me.

"I'm happy that everything is working the way it should be, but there's a part of me that's a bit sad that _I'm _not the one carrying that baby because… _I'm _the mother. Now I just sound like a selfish brat. Great."

"You're going to be okay, Juliana. I obviously can't sympathize about this jealousy thing that you've got going on, but you know I'm here for you in just about every other way."

I decided to show him some mercy. "You want to know why I'm up and about?"

"Yes."

"It's because I saw an article in _The Ledger _about the murder of Jordan's partner. The Westies are suspected to be involved."

Jalil scowled. "No, a hundred times no!"

"I haven't even said anything yet!"

"But you're going to tell me that the article had the line about going to the authorities if you have any information, aren't you?"

"If you hadn't just stolen my thunder, I would have."

He sighed heavily. "I thought that you had agreed to put all of that behind you! I mean, you haven't talked about that part of your life in years!"

"I can't make you understand because you weren't there."

I felt a sudden wave of vertigo and stumbled, but Jalil caught me. "Please don't go. Let me take you back to bed."

"No." I said firmly. "This will haunt me forever if I let a chance to help out the NYPD pass me by. If you let me go, I promise that we'll never talk about this again unless Raja starts asking questions about where he came from."

Jalil cringed at this because despite the fact that he doesn't treat our youngest child any differently than he treats the girls, Raja is incredibly sharp and is going to eventually start noticing the differences between himself and the rest of us, namely his extra curly hair and lighter brown skin tone because he's African-American/Irish.

"And after _that, _we are _never _talking about it again."

"Deal. Now please let me go downstairs—you're blocking my path."

He stepped to the side and let me leave. Between fixing myself a good breakfast, eating it while seeing Parvati safely out the door when Jim came to collect her, twenty minutes had passed, and it was another fifteen before I was out the door and catching the subway to the precinct because I had to take a shower and get ready for the day, but I reached my destination eventually.

When I got off the elevator on the homicide floor, Kevin saw me first.

"Hey, Juliana! What brings you to our neck of the woods?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Why are _you _so happy? Did you get lucky in the bedroom last night?"

"I'm just extra happy to be alive, is all." He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "What brings you over here from Chelsea on a Saturday?"

"That article in the paper about Jordan's partner, actually."

Kevin became serious at once. "Come over to my desk, and I'll take down your information."

"I would rather talk to Kate. Is she busy?"

"I'm not sure, but I know that she's in her office right now."

He pointed me in the right direction before heading back to his desk, and when I got to Kate's office, her door was wide open and she was seated at her own desk, smiling at a picture on her phone. When I knocked on the door frame, she looked up and was a little taken aback to see me, but nevertheless invited me in and sit across from her.

"Oh, Juliana! I'm glad to see you!"

"Why?" I asked as I shut the door behind me and sat in the visitor's chair. "I thought you'd be a little more surprised to see me in your place of work since you turn up at mine more often."

"Okay, I'll give you that, but I need to show you this picture before I go nuts!"

I laughed at this. "Go ahead and show me, then."

She handed me her phone and as I looked at the screen, I saw a picture of Lanie holding a… _baby? _

"Is that a newborn baby?" I inquired, handing the phone back. "She's cute…"

I let my words die off because it suddenly hit me that the child was white. Lanie and Javier have confided in me that they're considering adoption, it didn't occur to me that they would have picked a child who is considerably lighter than they are.

Not that there's anything wrong with it…

(I guess that I think about it more than most people because I'm as dark as Lanie)

"Yes, that's definitely a newborn baby girl in Lanie's arms."

I forgot my mission for a minute. "Where did she even come from?"

"To make a long story short—she was found in the Ramble yesterday evening and was out into the care of the Espositos."

"But where are the child's parents?"

"The mother died in Jenny's arms because she had been stabbed to death and was already bleeding out, but as per her wishes, we are going to let the father stay in the wind."

I nodded in understanding. "What's her name?"

"It'll officially be Liberty Ryan Jennifer Esposito once Rick helps out with the adoption process. He has a buddy in the city offices that will make the process go faster…"

"No wonder Kevin was happy when I saw him just now—he and his wife both have a little namesake. Liberty is going to have lots of honor to live up to."

I looked at Kate to see what she had to say, but instead of replying, she was eyeing me with a look of appraisal.

"Are okay? You aren't looking too hot."

"I'm _fine_." I answered dismissively.There's just something going around at my house, but I'm over the worst of it."

"Right." She said with a tone of complete skepticism. "Juliana Diamond, you look like how I did in the early stages of both of my pregnancies, and it wasn't pleasant."

"It's just a cold, and I'm a midwife, so I think I'd know if I was pregnant, and even at that, I can't be the one who's pregnant because Amaya is!"

I realized what I'd said a few seconds too late as I saw Kate's eyes widen in shock.

"Damn! I can't even do _that _right!"

"Back up a second! My stepmother is pregnant? She _just _had a baby in January!"

"She _is _pregnant, yes."

"She's the surrogate mom you alluded to in December?"

"You got it." I smiled kindly to put her at ease. "She isn't that far along and was going to tell you when she got into the safe zone, but I guess this means the cat's out of the bag…"

"I should say so." Kate took a deep breath and slowly let it out, trying to let her reaction go. "I'll call her later, but congratulations, though. I'm happy for you and Jalil."

"Thanks! And if _I _am pregnant right now, you and Rick can be the godparents to both babies. How does that sound?"

"It sounds perfect." She chirped. "Now please tell me why you made the journey here from Chelsea on a Saturday."

…The secrets I'm about to tell means that everything as I know it is about to change, and it has the chance to seriously damage the mother-daughter relationship that Kate and I established on Christmas Day…

"It's about the article from the paper today. The one about Jordan's partner and the Westies."

"I made the call to the publisher's office to see that the piece was published today. Do you have some information that you would like to share with me?"

"Yes, actually."

"I am all ears."

"I'm fairly certain that the Westies _did _commit this murder, and if you give me a chance, I can prove it."

"I—what? How could you prove it? You're a civilian!"

"And so are they, even if they have it on their heads that they're above the law." I answered patiently. "You want to know how I can prove it?"

"I do."

"Almost eight years ago, I was practically one of them."

Kate's mouth dropped open in surprise, but she didn't say anything.

"Around that time, Jalil and I got into a pretty nasty fight that ended with a temporary separation. I took the girls and where we went is not important, but I ended up at their pub."

"The Wolfhound… Rick and I went there on a case to question someone."

"The leader at the time—Dick Coonan—took a liking to me, and vice versa."

The younger woman spoke with a tone of dismay. "Please don't tell me that you had an affair with him or Jackie, his brother."

I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat. "I most certainly _did _have an affair with Dick Coonan, and I think it was the power that attracted me. Raja is living proof of that affair."

Kate did her best to string a proper train of thought together. "So you weren't exactly one of them but you were far enough in that they never questioned your being there because of your relationship with Coonan, correct?"

"Correct."

"Do you mean to tell me that you were a _gangster's moll?" _

"If you want to be historically accurate with your phrasing, then yes, I was a gangster's moll."

"Why haven't you ever said anything about this before?"

"Because I had to work on coming to terms with the damage I had do to my marriage, I had to work on keeping up with my job because there was a time during that period when I was at absolute rock bottom, _and _on top of all of that, I was dealing with an unexpected pregnancy that was wreaking havoc on my body with nine solid months of God-awful morning sickness! I also had deal with the _shame _of all that I had done!"

Kate was at a loss for words again, and I sighed heavily, leaning back in my chair.

"We all have things we don't talk about, Katie, and the things I don't talk about are of the _sins _I have to _atone _for!"

Unfazed by the earlier use of her pet name, she spoke. "Excuse me? 'Sins to atone for,' 'things we don't talk about'?"

"Between you and me," I said softly, a hundred different feelings washing over me. "Let's just say that if not for the unconditional love that my daughters gave me during that time, and if not for feeling Raja move around inside me, I would have started cutting again."

She sobered up immediately, also being an ex-cutter, and changed topics.

"You said that if I gave you a chance, you could prove that the Westies killed Avery. What are you proposing?"

"Send me undercover into the pub."

There was a beat of silence and then: "_What? _Juliana, they _know _you _and _you _are a civilian!" _

"I'm well aware if my status compared to yours, thank you very much, but I have a foolproof plan, and I'm really counting on them knowing me."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "Bring it on."

I explained it to her in great detail, and I could tell she was impressed.

"Your idea has merit and I like it now, but there a few items to discuss before I can even thing about running this by my boss."

"Items like what?"

"For instance—when was the last time you were _at _the Wolfhound Pub?"

"I haven't been back since the middle of my pregnancy with Raja."

"See—"

Kate tried to interject, but I held up a finger, silencing her. "When you're in the life like that, there's a rule where once you become a member _or _when they make the rare exception like they did with me, they protect you out of loyalty and comradery, but they can't ask questions about where you've been if you haven't turned up in awhile."

"You've been gone for more than 'awhile,' you know," she used air quotes to emphasize her sarcasm. "But because it's you, the exotic beauty, or what have you, they'd think nothing of it and just pull you up a stool at the bar?"

"That's right."

"Okay, on to question two: does Jalil know about this plan of yours? I cannot, in good faith, let you go any further if he doesn't."

"It was almost a battle to get him to even let me come down here to talk to you about this," I admitted. "But one call, and I can make him see reason."

Kate nodded, taking these words into account. "I'll call my boss and then brief Ryan so he can be your backup—"

"No! Absolutely _no _backup with me in the pub! You two and whomever else you need can wait in a van around the block to survey with wires and microphone, or whatever, but _nobody _can follow me in, especially him, no matter _how _Irish he is!"

"And why can't he come?"

"He's an outsider, and if the new leader, Fin Roark, catches wind of him or figures out that Kevin is with the NYPD, Fin would shoot him on the spot. That wouldn't be good for anybody, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if Jenny became a widow and her babies lost their papa because of an idea I had."

I stared her down to get my point across, and she finally caved. "All right, fine. Any more pointers before we start making phone calls?"

I nodded. "Seeing that today is Saturday and the Westies are small close-knit group of people to begin with, most of them will be in the pub, and unless he's doing something else, Roark will also be there."

"This could a chance to finally nail _him _for something!" Kate was almost gleeful. "Anything else you care to share?"

"They generally come out at night, but on Saturdays, the after-hours begin around six."

"Noted. Anything else you can think of?"

"Not at the moment, no."

"Good. I have a phone call to make, but the conference room is empty right now, so you may use that room for your own phone call."

"All right. I'll be right back."

I got up and left her office, but when I sat down on the sofa, I got a sudden head rush and closed my eyes for a second.

"No, no, no!" I murmured to myself. "I cannot be sick today, I _cannot _be _sick!"_

When the moment passed, I opened my eyes and dialed Jalil's number. He picked up quickly, and when I told her what was going on, he wasn't exactly happy.

"_Undercover?" _he hissed. "Is Kate losing her mind?"

"Jalil, I volunteered for this operation because it was my idea."

"What? Juliana, no! I know you've always had the soul and spirit of an adventurer, but this is really reaching! I won't let you!"

I bristled at this. "It's too late for that. This is a call to tell you what's going on, and that yes, I know exactly how dangerous these guys are, but they've never hurt me before, and besides—this falls under the category of things we'll never talk about again unless questions are asked."

He gave a sigh of resignation. "Okay, my darling, be safe. I love you."

"I love you, too, and I'm sure I'll be seeing you in a few hours, but you know what?"

"Do tell."

"When I come home, we can stay in bed all night and have a _Bones _marathon."

"I like the sound of that." _(Bones _is my husband's favorite show ever, even though it's not on the air anymore) "One more thing, though."

"Yes?"

"Knock 'em dead."

"That's a guarantee. I love you."

We hung up and when I headed back to Kate's office, she was hanging up the phone and grinning.

"Your boss gave you permission that quickly?" I asked incredulously as my friend began rummaging through one of the drawers in her desk. "How?"

"It's a long story that I'll tell another day, but here."

She had found what she was looking for and placed a little peace of blue rectangular plastic in front of me. I picked it up to examine and saw that it appeared to be a charge card of some kind.

"Katie, this looks like a charge card."

"It's a department credit card, to be exact, and my boss gave me permission to use it."

"Why?"

"Because I have no doubt that you were bad-ass when you were a gangster's moll, but you'll be needing new clothes to match that reputation."

"I'll probably want to burn the clothes later, but that sounds like a good idea."

"Fantastic." She rose to her feet and headed to the door and headed to the door before looking back. "I will go brief the guys and let them prepare, and I'll come back to get you so that we can go on a shopping spree!"

"Even if it takes us to Dungeon Alley?" I joked.

"Even if it takes us to Dungeon Alley."

_Sometime later _

_Shopping District _

_SoHo, Manhattan _

Our shopping spree didn't take us to Dungeon Alley, and I was thankful because I'm not sure what my friends would think if they find out that my husband and I have been visitors to this part of town since we started dating in college.

After striking out at a few places and taking a late lunch break, Kate brought me a particular shop that she and Alexis like to go to because it carried all sorts of clothing styles, including everything I needed to get back into the role of the person I had once been.

"Does everything fit?" Kate asked as I reemerged from the dressing room and I deposited everything into her outstretched arms. "We could keep looking, if you want."

"Nope, I'm good now. I have the jacket, the tank top, leather pants and even the jewelry. All that's missing is a good pair of boots or heels, really."

"What's your shoe size?"

"Eight…"

"You can borrow a pair from me because we're the same size, and I have quite a collection for you to choose from. Being the wife of a millionaire means that I can indulge in my guilty pleasure of shoe shopping."

I laughed at her admission. "Okay, but where am I going to get ready, though?"

"The loft is just around the corner, so we can go there after this."

I had no problems with this and in the next fifteen minutes, we had paid for the purchases, gotten back to Kate's building and were letting ourselves into the loft, which was eerily empty.

"Where is everybody? Minus Alexis and Tobias because they moved out, you and Rick still have other children."

I surveyed the first floor a little bit more.

"Come to think of it, where's your husband? Shouldn't he be working on that 'top secret' project of his?"

Kate listed everybody off on her fingers as she explained the situation. "Rick has a few meetings at Black Pawn today, including one with President Mifuyu Endo; Lily Joy is with Alexis and will probably be spending the night over there because they wanted to spend some time together; and Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna are being babysat by my parents until Rick is done with his meetings. Martha would have done that, but she has pressing matter to attend to at her acting studio today."

"And I thought _my _family was busy…"

"Between yours and your husbands jobs, demanding extracurricular activities for your whole family, and that _zoo _of yours—"

"Katherine Joy," I interjected at the mention of the family pets. "For the last time, even though we have a certain amount of animals in our townhouse, that doesn't mean it's a _zoo." _

"And at the last count, doesn't it stand at Raja's _four _pet hamsters, both of your dogs, that pair of orange and white speckled goldfish that belong to Sonali, and Jalil's _iguana?" _

"There's also the new Bombay kitten that we gave to Parvati for her birthday last month, but yes, even that stupid, stuck-up iguana is part of the whole kit-and-kaboodle."

"I rest my case."

I blushed hard, and for lack of nothing better to do, I held up my shopping bags that I hadn't put down yet.

"I have a lot to do to get ready for this thing tonight, but there's also the matter of my hair." (I indicated the long black tresses, presently tied up in a ponytail) "It's getting unruly. Do you have a straightener that I can borrow?"

"Yeah, it's upstairs in our bathroom. Come on, I'll show you!"

Giggling like a pair of teenagers at a sleepover, we hurried upstairs to get ready for what was already looking like an interesting night.


	9. Sins To Atone For, Part Two

**Special thanks as always to myboygeorge :)**

_Castle loft _

_Juliana's Point of View _

Eventually, I was nearly ready and dressed for my undercover gig, wearing a pair black leather pants, a form-fitting Rolling Stones tank top and a short-sleeved black tweed blazer. All that was missing from my ensemble was a good hairdo, a pair of shoes from Kate's collection, and maybe a little bit of makeup.

"Wow, Juliana, you look… well… pretty hot." Kate complimented as she came into the bathroom where I was getting ready. "I hope you don't take that the wrong way, though."

At six feet tall with a statuesque figure I had inherited from my Swedish mother, dark brown skin, chocolate brown eyes and a head of long black wavy hair, I have always known how good I look.

"Thanks, Katie, and no—I won't take that the wrong way." I told the younger woman. "What's that you've got there?"

"The hair straightener." She set on the counter, plugged it in and turned it on. "It just take a little while longer to find."

"Anything else you need?"

A sudden thought popped into my head. "Not per se, but I just thought of a question that I didn't think of when we were in your office."

"Oh?"

"Dick Coonan is Raja's biological father, no doubt, but I heard that he was killed in 2009 at a police precinct, soon my son was born. Do you know who did it?"

"It was me."

"_You?" _I backpedaled when she raised an inquiring eyebrow at me and then worked on straightening my hair. "I mean, it all ended badly because I fell out of love and then the girls and I were evicted from our place—"

"_What?" _She all but screeched.

"That's another story, but back on track: why did you kill him?"

"Coonan took Castle hostage right in front of us with a _gun _pressed up against his back! What was I supposed to do?"

"You did right, you did right."

"Are you angry?"

"No, not at all, especially if it was to save Castle's life." I admitted after a moment. "It brings closure, though. Let's just talk about something else, okay?"

We did just that and before we knew it, it was time for me to pick a pair of shoes from Kate's collection. Surprisingly, it only took five minutes for me to find a nice pair of sleek red Gucci platform pumps.

"Ready to go?" she asked after I put them on.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Nervous?"

"Hell, no."

She smirked. "I like your attitude. Let's go."

_Thirty-five minutes later _

_Just outside the Wolfhound Bar _

As per my request, I didn't have any back up, but I did have a tiny camera wired into one of the top buttons on my blazer. Kate, as well as Kevin and a handful of their techie guys were waiting in an alley at the end of the block inside one of their police vans. Before leaving the vehicle, I left my wedding ring in Kate's care for good measure, and once I was outside the pub door, I counted to three before pulling the door open and going inside.

I started walking towards the bar when I was intercepted by none other than Mannix Coonan.

"Where have you been, Bird?" he leered at me, glancing towards my left hand. "Still no wedding ring, eh? I can keep you comp—"

In the blink of an eye, I had the boy pinned up against the nearest wall with this his arms behind his back. Everyone in the room had gone still when they saw me, but now they were cheering.

"You may be a teenager now," I growled fiercely into his ear. "But this is what I promised what would happen if you touched me. Remember, _boyo?" _

He winced in pain, so I tightened my grip on his arms, making him cry out in pain.

"I said _do _you understand me?"

He nodded, wincing again. "Yes, I understand!"

"I am old enough to be your _mother! _Go find someone else, or better yet—go do your _homework _in the back room!"

I let him go, giving him a little shove and he stumbled but picked himself up to the back room. We all waited to hear the door close and when we heard it, the whole room burst into cheers, happy that I had gotten rid of Mannix.

"Some things haven't changed, have they Molly?" I asked the bartender as I sat on a stool at the bar. "Mannix Coonan is still an annoying, useless little git?"

"Don't you know it!" she laughed. "It's been too damn long, Juliana! How have you been? What can I get you?"

"I've been great, thanks for asking, and an Irish Car Bomb will do."

She set about making my drink and I quickly surveyed the room, knowing that Kate would be benefit from a shot of the room by now. After a moment, Molly set a beer mug filled to the brim and foaming with my drink of choice on a coaster right in front of me.

"There you go—it's on the house tonight!"

Molly moved to the other end of the bar and I had taken a few sips of my drink before I was joined by two people: Fin Roark and his second-in-command, Aidan Gallagher. They sat on either side of me.

"Juliana, where have you been?" Aidan inquired suspiciously. "You can't just—"

Fin interrupted in a sharp tone. "If she's been gone for this long, you know that we can't ask questions."

Aidan made a 'hmmph!' noise and flagged Molly down to order more drinks.

"Since it's you," I turned now to Fin, making sure that my Indian accent was thicker than usual. "I'll tell you that I've just… been off the grid for awhile."

"Raising that child? The last time you were here, you were pregnant."

"Yeah, I've been working on that," I twirled a finger around a lock of hair as I added the next part for tact, even though it was false. "And I've also been missing and mourning my child's father."

"Mourning? After all these years?"

"Everybody's different."

"I'll give you that," (Fin has treated me like a favorite sister since we first met, so that's why he's protective of me and he'll never say it to my face, but I know he thinks that I'm cool) "But really—what brings you here tonight?"

I shrugged and took a few more sips of my beer, knowing by now that Kate and the others were listening very keenly.

"I heard about the murder of that FBI agent a little while ago and how there's suspected Westies involvement."

Fin made a noncommittal noise into his drink while on my other side, Aidan sat watching us and nursing his drink, but not saying anything.

"Well, come on—we both know that the murder has the Westies written all over it. I see things and I remember things, Fin. Who did this?"

"Do you really want to know?"

I nodded, taking another swig.

"It was actually Mannix, believe it or not."

Unable to keep my composure, I spat out a bit of my drink, surprised.

"Easy there, fine thing." Aidan passed me some napkins. "Molly works _hard _to keep this bar top clean!"

I mopped up the spilled beer, my mind only on one thing. "_Mannix _did the killing? That useless little git did something useful?"

He nodded. "It was his initiation killing."

"How is the boyo not wigging out?"

"Who knows? As proud as he is of where he comes from, he's enigmatic to the last…"

Knowing Fin the way I did, I knew he was about to change the subject and that would be the end of the current discussion. Even though Kate was over in the van and no doubt wanting me to come back, I would have seriously offended Molly the bartender if I left without finishing my drink, I continued to make casual conversation with her and the other two before leaving.

Once I was outside and just out of sight of the pub, I began walking quickly in the direction of the alley, shuddering and turning off the camera I was hooked up to as I went, and when I was back inside the van, handing it over to the guys, Kate and Kevin were congratulating me on a job well done, but I suddenly felt exhausted.

Kate noticed.

"Is there anything you need right now?"

"I just want to go home." I told her as the van roared to life and the driver up front began driving. "You have no idea how tired I am right now, and if you know what's good for me, you won't make any wisecracks!"

Kevin, who had been watching our exchange, wisely chose to be quiet while Kate gave me a trademark eye roll. "Okay, Juliana—the moment we get back to the precinct, I'll drive you back to Chelsea, myself."

"But I'm wearing your shoes," I suddenly remembered. "And I left my clothes and my _purse _at the loft!"

"Not to worry—I have your purse _and _your wedding ring here," she fished them out of a compartment next to her seat, handing them both over. "And we'll return the rest of the things after you're feeling better, all right?"

"Okay."

_Forty-five minutes later _

_Singh house _

Because I knew that all of my kids would be scarred belief if they saw my current outfit—especially the leather pants—I let myself in through the side kitchen door, where Jalil was waiting for me, slightly stunned at my appearance.

"Jules, you look… wow…"

"Yeah, yeah." I tossed my purse onto the kitchen table and started moving towards the stairs. "Raja isn't still on our bed, is he? I'm tired, I want to change and then veg out on _Bones _because I owe you a marathon of it."

Jalil hurried to catch up with me as I made my way up the stairs. "Raja is playing in his room, Sonali is in hers, working on homework and Parvati is at the Beckett house and will be spending the night there because she and Tokutaro and Mitsunobu have new kickboxing moves they want to practice."

"That sounds good…" I said vaguely.

By now we had reached the bedroom door and shut the door behind us. I stripped down to my under-things and changed into the sweatpants, oversized tank top and hoodie that Jalil fetched for me. When I was wearing the fresh clothes and the other garments and my shoes were in a heap at the foot of the bed, there was a scratching noise on the other side of the door and Jalil opened it. Gizmo and Widget came bounding in and climbed up onto the bed, King Kong in Gizmo's mouth again. They all curled at the end of bed, content to be nearby.

I, meanwhile, sat cross-legged on the middle of the bed, massaging my lower abdomen because it was feeling tender.

"What's the matter?" Jalil asked cautiously. "Did you eat something funny when you were out?"

I shook my head. "All I had was an Irish Car Bomb, but I think that since it was my first one in so long, my stomach isn't doing so well."

"Do you feel like you're going to throw up?"

"No, thankfully, but I felt like this yesterday when I felt queasy halfway through the Chinese chicken salad I had for lunch."

My husband didn't respond right away and when I looked over at him, he appeared to be choosing his words very carefully.

"Juliana, I really think that you could be pregnant right now. You were unsure with the quads _and _Sonali. What if—even though it's highly unlikely—this is one of those occasions?

I caved almost immediately because I'd been contemplating this idea since leaving the pub.

"I just don't want to be disappointed, Jalil, but I haven't even gone to the drug store to get a box of tests!"

Jalil laughed nervously at this and raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't actually get a box already, did you?"

"Actually, I did."

"You really want this, don't you?"

"I'll let it go if the tests aren't positive, but yes, I do want to know because I can't shake the feeling off even though it's your body and not mine."

I got off the bed and headed towards the bathroom. "I'll go find the tests and use them. You wait here."

After shutting the door behind me for privacy and conducting a quick search, I located the box of pregnancy test, removed all three of them and used them. I capped them when I was done and waited the five minutes it would take for the results to show up before bringing them out to Jalil.

"Well?"

"I don't know yet." I leaned against the bed and set the tests down. "I haven't looked. It's been five minutes but I haven't looked yet."

"Shall I look for you?"

"Sure."

There was a moment of silence and then, "Juliana, they're all positive."

I heard his words, but the next thing I knew, I was on the floor because my knees had given out from shock. Jalil was next to me in a second, getting me to look in his eyes.

"What are you thinking?"

"I-I don't even know." I stuttered as I rubbed my belly a little bit. "It looks we've been blessed twice, though. Amaya is carrying our baby and… Oh, God…"

"What?" he was bewildered.

"It's going to be really weird to explain to our friend who agreed to be the surrogate mother for one of our children that I'm pregnant with a baby that's a little older than the one she's carrying?"

"What? This one is older?" Jalil sputtered. "Amaya is almost two months along! How far are you estimating for yourself?"

"Two-and-a-half months." I squeaked. "Now that I remember, it happened when we went to the drive-in theater on your birthday, when we went to see _Invasion of the Body Snatchers. _I got scared and hid, you came to 'comfort me' and one thing led to another…"

"Ah, yes. I remember now." He smiled and touched a hand to my belly. "Are you as happy about this as I am?"

"Yeah, I am, and I can't wait for the little one's arrival." I held his hand against my midsection, relishing the feeling of it being there. "I just wonder how your parents are going to react. They _are _coming in a few weeks…"

"Never mind my parents! What about Sonali, Parvati and Raja? They don't even know about Amaya yet!"

"We can worry about that tomorrow, okay?" I didn't even try to hide my yawn. "Help me up so I can get on the bed. I want to take a nap."

"All right, Jules. Come on."

My loving husband helped me onto the bed and tucked me in, telling me to sleep. While I drifted off, he told me that he had some things to take care of but the animals would keep me company. As if they understood, both of the dogs and the kitten moved from where they had been curled up and made themselves more comfortable, setting up camp by my knees.

_Two hours later _

I awoke, feeling happily refreshed, and the first thing I noticed was that the animals had vacated the bed. Just as I wondered where Jalil could have gotten to, he came in carrying a medium-sized paper grocery bag in one hand and a folded up piece of cloth in the other.

"Did you sleep well, my love?"

"I did, yes." I chirped as he sat across from me. "What are those things there?"

"I went around the corner to Chelsea Market just now and got all of the things you craved during your last pregnancies." He explained as he dumped the content of the bag onto the bed. "Here we are. I used the automatic check-out so nobody would think I'm peculiar."

Jalil had bought two bags of peaches, two bags of baby carrots, a two liter bottle of club soda, a loaf of my favorite French bread, one jar of strawberry jam to go with the bread, and also a carton of chocolate chip ice cream.

"Thank you so much!" I leaned over the food to kiss him on the cheek. "This is perfect!"

He scooped all of the things back in the bag and handed the folded up cloth to me.

"Then this just might be the icing on top. I got it the day after we found out that the treatment took for Amaya and I've been holding onto it since then, but I think that you would understand the joke a little more than she would."

Curious, I unfolded the cloth and it turned out to be a yellow newborn baby onesie and when I saw what was on it, I laughed in amusement. In the middle of the garment, I recognized a One-Up mushroom from the classic Super Mario video game that I'd owned so many years ago. Underneath that were the words '_Extra Life' _printed in block letters.

"Gamer humor, huh, Jalil? As if we aren't weird enough with how one of the first things we bonded over when we first met were video games, but we're already getting this one hooked on games before they've been born!"

"But you know you love it."

"That, I do. It's lovely."

I leaned against the headboard, pulled back my tank top and draped the onesie over my small but definitely noticeable baby bump.

"I love you more than words can express, angel, and so does papa, but what do you think of the onesie he just got for you?"

I felt a few rapid flutters coming from inside my womb and I sucked in a breath of air sharply as my stomach did an unexpected flip.

"What does the baby think?" Jalil wondered.

"The baby thinks," I told him as I began to massage my belly again, thrilled about the life that was growing inside it. "That the onesie is perfect."


	10. Life With the Shaws

_Monday, May 15, a few weeks later _

_Queller-Álvarez house _

So many people I know are pregnant right now!

Jeez.

Maddie is pregnant with triplets and is due next week, but Jessica Rose has three months to go, and I'm pretty sure that Alexis is pregnant, but when that lady wants to keep secrets...

Amaya and Juliana are also pregnant, although they haven't said anything about it.

That's a lot of babies!

I think that there must be something in the water.

But… now it's my turn.

That's right—according to the three tests on my bathroom counter, _I _am going to be a mother!

This is not a bad thing because Calvin and I really want a baby, so I'm pretty excited, and I know he'll also be excited when I tell him, but the biggest hurdle is that although we're engaged, we don't even live together.

And what are my sisters going to say? They could get really upset even though their only intention is looking out for me, but just to put the icing on the cake: they're both downstairs…

"Okay, Melissa." I told myself as I threw the tests in the trashcan and washed my hands. "You can do it. All you have to do is get out the front door."

I went to my closet and grabbed my shoes, purse and a cardigan. As an afterthought, I packed a small overnight bag, just in case.

But wouldn't it be just my luck that both of my sisters would be in the front room, the one place I needed to go through?

"Where are you going, Melissa?" asked Madison as she eyed my bags. "A work thing and then to Calvin's?"

"Uh-huh!"

My voice had been an octave higher than normal, which had Emily raising an eyebrow. "Melissa Paisley, we may have been the ones who taught you the finer parts of reading and writing before you were four, but you have always been a bad liar."

(Except for when I'm with the Westies…)

"It's true." Madison added, hands massaging her big pregnant belly. "What's the matter with you?"

"I _just _found out that I'm pregnant, although I've been suspecting it for awhile."

You could have heard a pin drop before my sisters erupted—as I always knew they would if I told them this kind of thing—however, they were speaking Spanish and Afrikaans, languages they're both adept at. I can also understand them, but not when they overlap.

"OI!" I yelled above the din. "SPEAK ENGLISH!"

"Fine!" Emily huffed. "What are you doing, getting pregnant right now? You and Calvin are engaged, but you don't even live together!"

"We're working on it!" I protested, upset she was taking that route. "Emily, I've only been back for five weeks! I've been catching up on work, and starting next week, I'm already booked through to the end of next month with engagement photo shoots, wedding photo shoots, pregnancy photo shoots and even a few newborn photo shoots! I've been a little too busy to worry about a place to live, and I know that Calvin is up to his gills on a secret project with Black Pawn, so he's been a bit busy, too!"

Emily didn't reply to this only because Madison jumped in. "You are just like mom and dad—having kids at a young age with not much to support yourself!"

"I beg your pardon?" I asked in a scandalized tone, feeling affronted. "Madison, I _know _how old mum was when she carried you, Kingston and Raquel inside her! I may not have been thought of yet, but I still _know! _I also know that I was the 'later in life baby' even though they weren't even _thirty-five _when I was born! Why do you think that they spoiled me the way they did?"

Neither one of them spoke this time because they considered it a low blow.

"And one more thing—it doesn't look like it, but Calvin is a trust fund baby, and he already makes _lots _of good money on top of that, _plus _there's the part where _I _also make lots of good money and happen to have more put away in the bank because I inherited _all _of Auntie Adelaide's money when she died in 2000, and as I recall, that woman was a self-made multimillionaire. And as I was four when I inherited that money, it sat in the bank until I was _eighteen, _gaining interest! Money is _hardly _a concern; we've just been busy!"

My sisters both scowled at me. They've been doing their best to look out for me since our parents died—which is why they were taking the defensive side—but neither of them have ever been comfortable with me having a particularly high IQ or more money than either one of them put together.

"Forget this; I'm out."

Beyond rational words, I continued to the front door and out to the sidewalk. Eventually, I found myself at the empty playground around the corner from the house, perched on a swing but not even moving. Honestly, I don't know how long I was there, but I was definitely startled when I heard a familiar voice calling my name.

"Melissa! Are you okay?"

Kate had emerged from the little café nearby and was quickly crossing the lawn to my position. When she reached me, she pulled me to my feet and brushed imaginary dust off me.

"I have _never _been so mad at my sisters before!"

"I'll have words with them later, but I need to know what happened."

"Kate, I just found out that I'm pregnant. I'm so excited because this is a thing that Calvin and I really want, but my sisters were so _mean! _Please don't patronize me; they were bad enough."

"I'll do no such thing." She promised as I cried into her shoulder. "You deserve better than that because a baby—especially your first—is a reason to really celebrate!"

"I know, but my sisters—"

"Shhhh, Melissa. Let's not worry about that right now, okay? How sure are you about the baby?"

"Pretty darn." I confirmed. "My cycle has been late, I've had most of the classic indicators and the tests I took about twenty minutes ago were all positive."

"Then I'd say welcome to motherhood, sweetie! Is there anything you need right now? Are you hungry?"

"I just want to go to Calvin's house."

"Then I'll take you right now; my car is around the corner at the precinct."

"Are you sure? The Shaws live in Astoria Heights, in _Queens! _Don't you have things to do in your office?"

Kate gave me the serious look of a mother. "Melissa, you are as important to me as Alexis, LJ, Jamie, Jed, Joey, Toby and any of my future children and grandchildren are because I've known you for your entire life. Let me do this for you so I can have some peace of mind and not become a hysterical mama."

Too overwhelmed by her further act of kindness, I just nodded and gathered up my things, ready to follow her. The ride out to the Shaw's neighborhood was quicker than I thought, mostly because my head was in the clouds, but I started paying attention when I realized we'd pulled up in front of the beautiful red brick Victorian Gingerbread house, the building that the Shaws called home.

"Melissa, promise me that you'll take care of yourself and that sweet baby. It's a big responsibility."

"I promise, but could you keep this to yourself unless you're talking to my sisters? I still need to tell Calvin."

"You have my word." She handed me my bags as I unbuckled my seat belt and opened the car door. "Call me if you need anything."

I gave her a grateful smile. "I will, Kate. Thanks for everything."

She just smiled and waved goodbye as I got out and shut the car door. I could feel her watching me as I went up the driveway, whose lone occupant was the big silver Type 2 Volkswagen Bus used for family excursions. When I got to the front door, I saw that the screen door was open, but I still rang the door out of politeness, and as Kate drove away, I heard Jordan call out for me to enter.

So I did.

_Jordan_'_s Point of View _

Although I wanted to go answer the door myself, I did not have the willpower to tear myself away from the baking frenzy I was in the middle of, so I called out for the visitor to enter. I was very surprised when I saw who it was as I wiped my hands on a dishtowel.

"Melissa!"

The beautiful redhead looked really upset about something as she set her bags on the counter by the refrigerator and joined me at the marble island where I did most of my cooking.

"What's got you so sad, dear? It's a beautiful day outside!"

"Jordan, do you remember when I left how you and Rafferty offered to let me move in after I returned?"

"Yes, and that offer still stands."

As if those had been the magic words, she began crying again, thanking me; but I caught her as she crumpled to the floor. In between her sobs, I learned that I was going to becoming a grandmother, but then she continued, telling me of her sisters' unwelcome responses to the news; how she's been realizing since her return that she needed to leave Madison's place because she felt like her stay was up… how she felt so unsure about the concepts of love and family now.

My heart broke for her.

"Melissa, I'm so sorry about what happened, but you are more than welcome to move a few things in today. If Rafferty was home, he'd be agreeing, and if Calvin was home, he would have already suggested it, and either way, Justice and Jubilation are going to be beside themselves with joy to find out you'd be moving in. Those little girls adore you because you make their precious brother so happy."

Melissa managed a smile, but then looked puzzled. "Where is Calvin right now?"

"He's in a meeting at Black Pawn that he's been sworn to secrecy about, but he'll stop by soon. Didn't he tell you about any of this?"

"He did, but I guess I forgot."

I stood and helped her to her feet. "Have you ever had a baking day before?"

She looked at the island, eyeing all of my baking materials and my cookbook for the first time.

"Nope, never had one before."

I handed her a rolling pin and motioned towards a pile of cookie dough. "You roll that out while I check on the things on the oven. I think you'll find that baking is therapeutic."

Amused, Melissa did as she was told while I pulled poppy seed muffins and checkerboard cookies from the oven and placed them on the multi-tiered cooling rack I had waiting on the counter. When I turned back to Melissa, I saw she was ready and waiting for further instruction.

"You may choose a few recipes from my cookbook if you like." I smiled when I saw her face light up with a childlike joy at these words. "I was just making a few recipes that Rafferty and the kids really enjoy."

Melissa flipped through a few pages before reading a title aloud, but I noticed that she had trouble saying one of the words, making remember back to Christmas when I found out about Melissa's dyslexia.

"Cranberry pista- pista—" she gave a frustrated sigh. "This is so embarrassing! I _can _read, but it just takes a me a little longer than most people! What's this word?"

I put on my reading glasses and looked at the words she was pointing to. "Ah. That says 'pistachio.' The recipe is for Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti."

She nodded, still embarrassed, but repeated the name. "Cranberry _Pistachio _Biscotti."

I began to gather the ingredients. "And you know what, dear?"

"What's what?"

"It's perfectly okay to be dyslexic."

Melissa was taken aback. "How did you know about my learning disability?"

"Even if Calvin hadn't already told me, I still would have guessed because Justice was diagnosed at the end of the last school year. She's embarrassed that she's seven and has reading difficulty."

"I was that age when I was diagnosed," she mused. "And I still have trouble, but maybe Justice would like a reading buddy."

"She'd really like that." I smiled, touched by her thoughtfulness towards my daughter. "Jubilation is patient enough, but she's like how I was—learning to read complicated books early on."

"Oh, that reminds me!" she snapped her fingers, suddenly remembering something. "I have a new books for her in my bag. Has she started Harry Potter yet?"

"Surprisingly, no, but she's probably going to finish her book today and ask me for something else." I pushed the ingredients for the biscotti towards her. "Now let's bake."

When we'd finished with the biscotti and moved onto the next two types of cookies (double chocolate chip and strawberry jam), my future daughter-in-law asked a new question.

"Why are you having a baking day?"

"Part of the reason is because of what happened to Avery. Thanks for coming to the funeral, but the way."

She was too absorbed with measuring the chocolate chips to look up. "It was the least I could do, Jordan."

I thanked her and began paying more attention to my own cookie batter. "The other reason is because I was put on bereavement leave for a week."

"That's not so bad."

"My boss tacked on three more weeks because I had a bunch of vacation days piled up, and unless I wanted extra paperwork, I was going to be _forced _to have a vacation."

Melissa laughed as she poured the batter from her mixing bowl onto a new cookie sheet. "You do _not _like sitting still for too long. I _know _you."

"Bingo, but now since you're expecting, I can put that extra energy into taking care of you! I'm not trying to replace Lucy, but…"

"I get it, and it's very sweet. Thanks."

She sat down on a nearby stool and touched a hand to her belly, apparently lost in thought.

"What were you like in school, Melissa?" I asked her.

"Jordan, you don't want to know."

"Try me."

"I was made fun of, especially by this one chick named Flora Lawless, because I've never had an American accent."

I've never thought twice about Melissa's accents before because I'm so used to Rafferty's.

"Never?"

"Never." She confirmed. "Both of my parents had Australian ones like mine, and Emily had one but 'lost' it until she met Thomas."

"What about Madison?"

"She has a South African accent that she hides, but my brother—"

"You have a _brother?" _

"Yes, and he's also got a South African accent like my mum had before she started using her other one. _Her _parents never lost theirs because they're proud of where they're from."

All I could do was raise my eyebrows. There's a lot more to my future daughter-in-law than I've ever thought…

"I also picked fights in high school, especially after my semester abroad in Sydney because my accent became thicker. I was almost expelled in senior year for more fighting."

"How did you _not _get expelled?"

"I withdrew, homeschooled myself and even graduated early."

"Impressive."

She looked tired and yawned a little, so I helped her off the chair.

"Are you tired, Melissa?"

She nodded, yawning again and glided a hand over her belly. "I guess I know why my sleeping pattern has been off lately."

"Yes, you do." I began to walk with her towards the TV room. "Come on—we'll watch something on The Learning Channel, and you can just close your eyes."

"Calvin doesn't know I'm here…"

"He'll figure it out."

Melissa didn't say much else and when we sat down on the couch, she was asleep with her head in my lap in less than ten minutes. About an hour later, during which I got up for a few minutes to pull the other cookies from the oven, I heard Justice and Jubilation let themselves in after their bus dropped them off in front of the house. They almost went through the roof with joy when they saw Melissa, but I pressed a finger to my lips and they nodded in understanding, speaking in whispers.

"Mama, why is Tía Missy here?" Justice inquired.

"She's really sad and a bit tired." I whispered back.

Jubilation suddenly had an epiphany. "Mama, switch places with us."

"Why?"

"We want to cuddle with her and 'cause you need to stretch your legs."

"And make more cookies." Justice tacked on. "We saw them all in the kitchen."

"You're a goofball, baby girl, but okay, come on."

After a moment of doing our best to not wake Melissa, we had all switched places so that her head was in Justice's lap and Jubilation was next to her sister, flipping the channel to their favorite cartoon. The whole time, they kept the volume low and talked quietly. In their own ways, they were looking out for Melissa.

_An hour-and-a-half later, Melissa's Point of View _

After my nap, I saw that Jordan was gone, but the twins were there instead. When they saw me, they burst into tizzies of giggles and hurried out of the room, bumping into Calvin on the way.

"Hey babe." He greeted me, setting his messenger bag down. "What are you doing here? I got a text from mom after my meeting at Black Pawn, and she said something about a cat fight with Madison and Emily?"

"Yeah." I beckoned him closer and smiled. "Remember the afternoon I came back?"

"Happiest day of my life with you so far."

"Well get ready to get happier; I'm pregnant."

My turned over in surprise when he fell to his knees and crawled over, putting his hands on my belly. The look of happiness on his face was indescribable.

"There's a baby in there? We made a baby that afternoon?"

"We did." I grinned and slipped his hand under my shirt so it was resting on my baby bump. "I thought I was getting sick from work-related stress, but I guess not, huh?"

He nodded in agreement. "I should say so."

"I have another surprise, Cal."

"Not twins or triplets?"

"Not that I'm aware of." (he breathed a sigh of relief at this) "The surprise is that on the morning I left, I explained my home situation to your parents, and they offered to let me move in here when I came back."

Now Calvin looked like Christmas—his birthday—had come early.

"Jordan told me that the offer still stood."

"Y-you're moving in?"

I gave him a broader grin. "Until we can get our own place, but yes, I'm moving in here with you and your family."

He opened his mouth to respond but an alert on his iPad interrupted him. Sighing, he pulled away to check his message.

"You gotta go back to work?" I guessed, knowing what his answer was going to be.

"Yeah," He looked up, nodding. "But I'll be back later."

"Sounds good, love. See you."

He gave me a kiss on the lips and I almost melted when he kissed my belly, saying goodbye to the baby, too.

"That guy that was talking to us just now is your daddy." I murmured to my bump. "He's totally crazy about us and I know he really loves you to the moon and back already. You're one lucky baby."

"Baby?"

I looked up, startled and saw Justice and Jubilation grinning mischievously as they stood in the doorway.

(This is not the way I wanted _them _to find out, but they _are _my future sisters-in-law…)

Jubilation's eyes were bright with excitement. "Y-you've got a baby in your tummy, Tía Missy?"

"Yes, Jubes, there's definitely a baby in there, but it's really tiny yet."

Justice looked like she was about to faint. "We're gonna be aunties?"

All I did was nod and the twins were squealing in excitement and even jumping up and down, hugging each other. Justice came to her senses first, tapping her twin on the shoulder to speak to whisper something in her ear. After a moment, they both gave me sly looks and came over, pulling me to my feet.

"Should I be worried, twins?"

"No."

"Where are we going?"

"To meet mama's baby."

Oh, dear…

I lost track of where we were going because the twins had told me to close my eyes, but I felt them set me down on a bed. After hearing their conspiratorial whispers and some suspicious glass clanking and giggles, Jubilation spoke.

"Open your eyes! Tell him hello!"

I opened my eyes but I didn't see what I was expecting. "OH, MY GOD! THAT'S A GODDAMN BOA CONSTRICTOR!"

The twins were supporting a long pale yellow snake between the two of them, and while the creature looked content, the girls looked scandalized.

"Tía Missy!" Justice admonished. "I think you just said a bad word!"

Jubilation spoke in a bossy know-it-all tone. "She did, and he's an albino python, not a boa, _duh!" _

I moved further back on the bed. "A snake is a snake is a _snake!" _

The little redhead gave me a confused look. "_What?" _

Jordan came running into the room from another part of the house at that moment but just sighed when she saw what was going on. I shuddered as the snake happily coiled itself around his mistress' arms when she took him from the girls.

"Girls," Jordan addressed her daughters in a serious tone. "Why did you take him out of the terrarium again?"

"Tía Missy kinda told us about the baby in her tummy, so we decided to show her _your _baby!" Justice chirped before remembering to look sheepish. "Are we in trouble?"

"No, because the snake loves you two. Now go downstairs, wash your hands and start your homework at the kitchen table."

"Oooo! Can Tía Missy help?"

"With homework? Apologize for freaking her out, and _maybe _she'll change her mind."

The twins apologized but instantly cheered up when I told them I'd help them out. They left quickly, leaving me alone with Jordan… and her snake.

"All this time, and nobody ever mentioned that you have a _snake!" _

"He was a birthday present from Rafferty, he's twenty-five and his name is Hugsy."

"_Hugsy? _You have a _python _called _Hugsy?" _

"Yep." She sat down on the bed, still holding him. "Come give him a pet. You're not going to get over your fear of snakes unless you start somewhere."

I edged closer with a hand outstretched. "Is he gentle?"

"Very much so. That's why he's mellow with the twins."

Letting out a deep breath, I gave Hugsy a few rubs on his back but quickly withdrew my hand when he started trying to move towards me.

"Is it always this crazy around here, with Justice and Jubilation 'introducing' people to Hugsy?"

"You haven't seen anything yet, dear." She said as she got up and secured Hugsy in his terrarium. "Neither of the boys are here, it's not dark, it isn't Friday the Thirteenth, and there's no full moon."

I stared at her in surprise because she sounded serious, but my attention was diverted when I heard Justice calling up the stairs for me. I promptly got up and hurried out, with Jordan reminding after me to tell the twins which cookies to keep out of, but before she shut her door, I heard her yell after me, "Welcome to life with the Shaws!"

I'm so glad I'm here. It's going to be fun.


	11. Flora, Part One

_May 16, next day _

_Twelfth Precinct, Ryan's Point of View _

Five forty-five; fifteen more minutes until I can clock out and go home to Jenny and the kids. This current case concerning the murder of Jordan's partner is draining on all of us, especially Kate, but after another day with no fresh leads, I'm starting to get _emotionally _drained and I just don't have the emotional capacity to deal with it. (I'm also glad that tomorrow is my day off) All I want to do is hold my wife and play with my kids.

But I still have fifteen more minutes.

"Excuse me? Are you a detective?"

I looked up from the file I'd been perusing through to see a young smartly dressed Caucasian woman with with dark brown shoulder-length hair standing in front of me, having just disembarked from the elevator. I couldn't see her eyes because she was wearing sunglasses, but I definitely noticed the dark-haired toddler boy she was carrying on her hip. Even though he's Japanese-American, setting him apart from his mother, his dark blue eyes almost looked familiar.

"Yes, m'am, I am, and my name is Detective Kevin Ryan. Is there something I can help you with?"

She nodded. "I've just seen Mannix Coonan, one of the Westies. I would have called the hotline, but my phone just died, so coming here was the next best thing I could think of."

I sighed inwardly, knowing that this was probably going to take a lot longer than fifteen minutes I had been counting down.

"What's you name?"

"Outside of work, it's Flora Endo."

"Okay, Miss Endo, let me show you to my desk where I can take your information down."

Telling me to call her by her first name, the young woman and her son followed me, and the moment she sat in the chair next to my desk, the little boy anchored himself in his mother's lap and eyed me warily. In an attempt to put him more at ease, I leaned towards him and held my hand out for a high five. I was immediately given one, but he remained apprehensive.

"Hey, little man! My name is Kevin! What's yours?"

He let out a string of gibberish, something I wasn't expecting from someone his age. Surprised, I straightened up and looked back at Flora for an explanation.

"His name is Francis, and he's two." She smiled fondly as she spoke of her son, but had a sad look about her. "He's been deaf since birth, but he can speak American Sign Language fluently. My number one wish is to be able to pay for an operation to get him cochlear implants. He tries to talk, but I have to wait until he gets the cochlear implants until I can find a speech therapy program for his age group."

As a parent, my heart broke for her, but I knew how to cheer her up. "My oldest daughter has been signing since my wife and I started teaching her how to talk, so I'm also fluent in ASL."

Flora did indeed brighten up at this and when I signed my earlier words to Francis, he signed back enthusiastically. Just as I wondered how I was going to interview his mother, Kate wandered by and stopped to survey the scene, speaking in an authoritative tone.

"This is Francis Endo and his mother. Flora, here," I nodded towards her as I looked back at my boss. "Has information about the Westies, m'am, and Francis has just discovered that I speak ASL just like he does."

Kate nodded in understanding and knelt down so she was eye level with him, signing her words as she spoke. "Hi, Francis. I'm Kate, and I work with the police."

Francis' eyes grew with awe, having understood her words.

"Do you want to see my badge?"

Nod.

She showed it to him and he held it tightly in his little hands as he studied it. Luckily, Kate was able to get his attention again.

"Francis, do you want to play with the toys in my office while your mama talks to Kevin?"

He looked to Flora for permission and when she nodded, he squealed happily and extended his arms out to Kate, wanting to be held. She picked him up and we watched as they walked away, but before I could interview Flora, I got a text from Jenny, wondering where I was. Once I composed a quick reply and sent it, I looked at Flora and had a little start for two reasons, one of them being that she was wearing a silver charm bracelet that Jenny had given her daughter the last day they'd seen each other, although it had more charms on it now; and also because she had removed her sunglasses, showing me her face. She looked almost exactly what Jenny had looked like around the time I met her so long ago!

'Uncanny resemblance' would be the right term…

Good God! Did I really just find my wife's daughter?

"Detective, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I pulled a pen and notepad towards myself and held the pen, ready to write. "Tomorrow is my day off, but I'll make sure that the next person gets the information. Now tell me where you saw Mannix."

Flora told me everything she had seen, and just as she finished, she gasped. She was looking at a framed picture of Jenny taken at our nephew Bartholomew's birthday party in November. I let Flora hold the it.

"This is my mom." She said after a few moments. "The last time I saw her was fifteen years ago, but this is definitely her."

"I believe it, Flora." I told her with complete sincerity. "You look just like Jenny, and she's described you before, including that charm bracelet you have on. She said that the starter charms were an 'f,' a four leaf clover, and a heart."

She set the picture back down wiped her tears, regarding her bracelet and myself in turn.

"Detective Ryan, since you're obviously married to her, this makes you my stepdad, doesn't it?"

"It does, and I think it's okay if you call me Kevin."

"Did you two have any more kids? It won't make me mad, Kevin, but after all these years, I want to know if mom still loves me, if she's been able to find a guy who treats her like the queen she is and if I have siblings."

"Jenny loves you and misses you more than words can say. She's told me many stories about you in the fourteen years we've been married."

"Fourteen years? Good for you two."

I smiled at this. "And I _promise _I treat her like a queen. I know her all of her baggage, and she knows all of mine."

She smiled, too. "_Did _you two have more kids?"

"We have three more." I handed her another framed picture. "Their names are Alyssa, Thomas and Elliana."

"They're all so little!" she set the picture down by the other one and fixed me with a particular look that Jenny gives me when she wants to know something. "Fourteen years, and you two only just got around to having kids?"

I shrugged. "Are you busy? Do you want to see Jenny and meet your brother and sisters?"

Flora looked like she was about to cry because she was so happy. "Really, Kevin?"

"Sure. We can surprise Jenny, and at any rate, the kids will all really like you. The kids are one-and-a-half years old and four months old, but they love people in general."

"Okay, but what about Francis?"

"Everybody will like him, and let me tell you, Jenny is going to be thrilled about being a grandmother once she gets over the shock."

She paused, thinking this over. "We'll come, but where does mom work? She still a teacher?"

"Yes," I chirped. "And she teaches three courses at the Calliope Irving School of the Performing Arts."

She gathered her things up her things and put her sunglasses back on. "I don't have any appointments until tomorrow at noon, so I'm as ready as I'll ever be to see the others. Which was is the captain's office so I can collect Francis?"

I pointed her in the right direction and stared after her for a minute because I'd noticed that while she was dressed in an appropriate outfit for the weather, her left arm was bandaged all the way from her elbow to her knuckles, and her other wrist and hand were also bandaged, making me realize she had freshly inked tattoos underneath all of that.

Remembering that we were leaving, I quickly packed my things up and by the time we got to Jenny's classroom, I had received another text from her saying that her sister-in-law had just dropped the kids off after watching them for the day. When we actually reached the classroom, I left Flora and Francis just out of sight of the doorway and entered the room, where I was immediately given an attack hug by Alyssa who had abandoned her mother and siblings where they were all playing on a blanket on the floor. Jenny started to get up, but I stopped her, knowing that her legs would give out in surprise when she saw her oldest daughter and grandson.

_Jenny's Point of View _

Puzzled about why Kevin wanted me to stay sitting, I did as I was told but became even more confused when he called out to someone in the hallway to come inside.

However, everything made sense when I saw who it was, except I was so surprised that I blacked out for thirty seconds. When I came to, she was on the floor, kneeling in front of me as I cried.

"Flora? Oh, my God, baby girl! It's been so long!"

"Fifteen years." She whispered, starting to cry with me. "Mama, can I hug you?"

"Of course!"

I set Thomas on the floor with Alyssa and Elliana and promptly scooped up my twenty-something firstborn onto my lap, giving her a hug to make up for fifteen years of an absence that should have never happened in the first place.

"Mama, I—"

"Shhhh, baby girl." I soothed her as she wept. "Come home with us, and we'll talk there."

Flora nodded in agreement. "That sounds good to me."

I kissed her on one of her temples. "How did you find Kevin? He's a detective, you know."

"I had something to do at his precinct, but I think that God was looking out for me, making sure that Kevin was the first person I talked to when I got off the elevator."

"I agree one hundred percent." I gave her one more hug before gently pushing her off my lap. "Now who is that charming little boy hanging out with your sisters and brother?"

Flora smiled fondly at the little boy crouched next to Alyssa, who was cooing over the twins, making them laugh and squeal happily. Alyssa's companion was watching closely, but didn't seem to be taking in the scene the same way.

"His name is Francis, and he's two. He's your grandson."

I studied the little boy with renewed interest, noticing how he kept tapping Alyssa on the shoulder to get her attention so he could sign to her. She responded in his language, something that really delighted him.

"Flora, is Francis deaf? He keeps communicating in ASL to Alyssa."

"He's been deaf since birth, mama, and I'm pretty sure he's never heard my voice, even in the womb." She sighed sadly and rubbed her (bandaged) hands together in a way that her father used to do with his own hands. "I started doing professional photography because I've always been good with a camera, but I mostly started doing it to save up for an operation to get Francis double cochlear implants. Everything I do, I do for him."

Tears came flooding to my eyes immediately upon hearing her last few words as I remembered back to the day I decided to get clean for Flora.

"You're a very good mama." I told her. "Please introduce me to my grandson, and I'll introduce you to your siblings."

Francis took to me when he saw how much his mother looks like me, but then he became enamored with me when I started signing to him.

'_Hi, Francis. I'm your Nana Jenny.' _

He signed back, but it wasn't in a language that I knew. '_Konbawa.' _

'_What a little gentleman. What are you speaking?' _

'_Jap'nese.' _He replied. '_Un'erstand?' _

'_No.' _

'_I sorry. I say ASL.' _

I raised my eyebrows, really surprised by how clearly he was able to express his thoughts at such a young age, but I responded to him, still signing.

'_It's okay, buddy. Will you let me hug you?' _

Francis grinned and ran straight into my arms. This little boy may have inherited his distinct Japanese features from his dad (I wonder who he is), but as he hugged me back, I knew without a doubt—not that I'd had any in the first place—that he was Flora's boy because he gave hugs the exact same way that she had at that age. Unsurprisingly, Francis plunked himself down in my lap and Alyssa did the same thing with Flora when she understood how important she was, but it was almost a different story when Flora met the twins.

Thomas was in Flora's lap for less than thirty seconds before making a stinky diaper and laughing about it while Alyssa and Francis ran for cover once they smelled the stench. Elliana, on the other hand, was fascinated with her oldest sister and followed the sound of her voice, especially when we turned onto the street where we live because Flora gave a soft cry of surprise. Elliana giggled because she was amused by the sound.

"What's up, Flora?" I asked her.

"I'm sorry, but it's just that I live down the street." She pointed in a direction just past our home. "My place is the brownstone with the American and Japanese flags flying from the stand by the front door. I've been there since I was eighteen."

Kevin and I weren't sure what to make of this at all, but we were saved from responding when Alyssa began babbling and signing to Francis about what they were going to do once they got inside, which in turn got the twins excited and expressing their joy in loud tones. I think that Flora was in a goofy mood because while she helped Kevin and I get out of the car because she carried Elliana up the stairs, cooing to her and talking to her in funny voices. It took Elliana a long time to stop laughing.

Flora was fitting in with us already.

How did I get so lucky for her to turn up out of the blue like this?

Who knows? I won't question it, not when I know it's a genuine miracle.

_Flora's Point of View _

Mom's house was very nice and the general state of disorganization with the toys everywhere clued me in that the place was home to three small children, but Francis was over the moon with Alyssa because she can speak his first language, and they were off playing with Alyssa's toys almost as soon as we were in the door, and after charging my phone, Elliana was out back into my arms because I was the only person she wanted to be with.

"I would offer you a drink," Kevin spoke as the rest of us got settled on the furniture in the living room. "But we don't have any alcohol in the house."

"It's okay, Kevin." I reassured him. "I've never been one for beer or even spirits, for that matter."

"What about wine?"

"We found out the hard way that I'm deathly allergic to the stuff."

"That really sucks," mom sympathized. "And who is 'we'?"

I waved a hand dismissively, wanting to stick to one topic. "Why isn't there a drop of alcohol in this house?"

"I'm in AA, Flora, and I've been clean since I was pregnant with you. Just like everything you do is for Francis, I did everything for you—staying in high school, graduating from there and from _college, _and going to rehab to stop all of the drugs, the partying and even the pyromaniac stuff. It was hard, but I did all of it for you."

I began to cry yet again because I was deeply moved by her words, and I had to really focus in order to keep from dropping Elliana. Mom sensed that I was in need of comfort because she got up and sat next to me so she could hold me in her arms while little Thomas had a snooze in his bouncy chair nearby. Kevin chose that moment to go play with Alyssa and Francis, but I knew that he was keeping a listening ear out to us.

"Why haven't you come home?" mom asked.

"It was 9/11 on the last day I saw you, and I was eight years old, so I was scared and confused! It's amazing how much you can forget, especially when it comes to things like phone numbers and addresses!"

"That's fair enough, but what have you been up to in the mean time?"

I leaned back and felt myself relax as Elliana snuggled up against me, now in a drowsy state. "I have loved, I have been loved, I have lost and wept, and I have celebrated. _That's _what I've been up to."

She and Kevin both stared at me in surprise, trying to make sense of my cryptic words. They'll find out soon enough.

Mom looked like she wanted to speak, but she couldn't because Elliana was getting fussy, so I turned my attention to the infant.

"You're okay." I murmured to her, stroking her little back with the tips of my fingers. "You're okay because your biggest sister is here to love you, hold you and spoil you, Thomas and Alyssa rotten. What do you think of that?"

Elliana cooed contently and gave a little sigh, fisiting her hand in the cloth of my shirt, like she was making sure I was still there. I kept talking to her until she was out cold, but even still, I kept talking to her simply because she was my sister.

_Jenny's Point of View _

As I looked around the room, I saw that everybody was doing something with another person. Kevin was a few feet away on the floor by the toy bin, teaching Alyssa and Francis how to do a particular puzzle, and they were thrilled to have him as a playmate. Thomas was still in his bouncy seat, still sound asleep, but out of all of my children, he's the only one who inherited my father's habit of sleeping like the dead. Flora was cuddling with Elliana, just telling her about the day she had had so far. It was clear that Flora delighted to have a baby girl in her arms.

My whole family—meaning me, my husband, all four of my beautiful and precious children, and now even my grandson—were all under one roof together.

I have absolutely everything I have ever wanted.

Finally.


	12. Flora, Part Two

**This is for the fans of Jenny and Kevin :) It's also for a particular camel who likes to tap dance ;)**

_Jenny's Point of View _

As thrilled as I was to have my firstborn back in my life, there were still some lingering questions that I had for Flora, and I knew that Kevin was just as curious.

Luckily for us, Francis had the same nap time as everyone else, and before we knew it, the other little ones had joined Thomas in slumber, meaning that we were free to move to another room where we could converse in regular tones. Ten minutes and three freshly brewed cups of Earl Grey tea later found us chatting at the kitchen table.

The bandages on Flora's arm and hands had not gone unnoticed by me, and I immediately wondered if she was covering up new tattoos.

"Flora Lily Callaghan," (I struggled to keep from laughing as she almost choked on her tea upon hearing both of her middle names) "Are you tattooed? Are there tattoos under those bandages?"

She set her tea cup down and flexed her fingers nervously. "Maybe, maybe not. Please don't be angry with me; my first tattoo got me in trouble at my old church."

I immediately understood what she was thinking and softened up. "Yes, I'm still Catholic and a regular churchgoer, but I won't hold it against you if you lost your faith for whatever reason. Kevin is also Catholic, but neither one of us are zealots. We're open-minded and won't hold any of your tattoos against you."

My husband nodded in agreement but busied himself with drinking his tea. I knew he was excited to get to know Flora but I understood that there were going to be a few awkward third wheel type moments for him.

"Then yes," replied Flora, looking relieved as she undid the bandages. "I _am _tattooed, but now I can finally let them see the light of day."

The first bandage that she undid started at her left elbow and when she showed us the image underneath, I found myself looking at a very intricate design of tiny red blossoms on a leafy branch. The picture took up the entire lower part of her arm, including the outside, but there was a line of Japanese characters on her wrist. The black letters looked like they were engulfed by all of the red."

"These flowers are called hanakatoba, and the characters translate to something like 'roots of love' in English."

"How fluent are you in Japanese?" Kevin wanted to know.

"Very. I studied it when I was gone…"

She had been smiling, but it faltered when she realized what she was talking about so she undid the rest of her bandages, made two fists and held them together to show us a phrase that had been inked on to her knuckles, one character per space. It read: _PROV 25:2. _

"It's my favorite Bible verse, and it goes 'It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.' Those words helped me get through hell."

"That's very deep, and those are actually words that your mother and I have lived by since we met."

"How _did _you two meet?"

"We can talk about that another time." When she started to protest, I kept talking. "Survivor of 9/11 or not, the things that Kevin and I have been through _combined _are just as hardcore as that. One of them, I decided to wait until you were mature enough to handle it, but first I'm asking as a mama who lost her baby girl for fifteen years—what has happened to you since two thousand and one?"

Flora ran her fingers through her long chocolate brown hair as a nervous habit, but the kitchen light bounced of something shiny on one of her fingers. I caught her hand in my own, examining it, and I was astonished to see that the light was reflecting off _two _things: a diamond engagement ring and a diamond _wedding _ring, both of heirloom quality!

"You're _married?" _Kevin and I chorused.

"I _was _married, and it was one of the happiest times of my life." She smiled but looked heartbroken again. "His name was Hikaru because his parents named him after their favorite classic Star Trek character. He was my best friend in the whole world."

I asked the next question, dreading the answer. "What happened to Hikaru?"

"His cancer came back, mama. He'd had leukemia when he was five and it went into remission, but this came it came back in his _brain!" _Flora looked crushed but kept going. "He was diagnosed when I was twelve weeks pregnant and then passed away in my arms when I hit the seven month mark because the sickness was horribly aggressive."

"Oh, Flora, I'm so sorry!"

She just nodded, dabbing at her eyes as they filled up. "Sometimes I can't believe that by age twenty-one, I've been to all fifty sates and eight different countries; or that I've been married and pregnant. Now I'm raising a disabled toddler, and I never thought that being alone like this would hurt like it does."

"Why haven't you ever tried looking for me before?"

"I had told myself that you didn't want me anymore, but Hikaru convinced me that that was balderdash, and when I _did _start looking for you, I couldn't find Jennifer Lawless anywhere. I barely remember the divorce happening, but if I ever knew your maiden name, it escaped me."

She paused, thinking about something.

"What happened to my father? Where is he?"

"I neither know nor care." I replied in a stiff manner. "We do not talk about that man."

"But—"

"I mean it."

Kevin jumped into the conversation, trying to be the peacemaker. "Flora, we would have helped you when you were pregnant if we had known you were down the street because we bought this house when we got married. Are Hikaru's parents around?"

"They are, but did you and mom really mean it when she said that you two aren't the kind of Catholics who are Bible-thumpers?"

"Yes."

"Hikaru's parents are lesbians."

"That's not so bad."

"You have a cousin a few years younger than you who's a lesbian," I added, feeling better when I saw her easing up. "So it's not an unwelcome topic in our family. Who are Hikaru's moms?"

"Mifuyu and Elizabeth Endo."

I choked on my tea, surprised. "Mifuyu Endo, _President _of the Black Pawn _Publishing Company, _Mifuyu Endo, and Elizabeth Endo who tailors the red carpet dresses that _Vera Wang _makes?"

"Those would be the ones," Flora smirked, thoroughly amused. "And it's nice to see that you read celebrity magazines, mom. Most people don't have that kind of reaction when they hear even _Elizabeth_'_s _name. She and Mifuyu will be flattered when I tell them."

I blushed furiously and let Kevin regain the control of the situation.

"Do you see Mifuyu and Elizabeth often?"

"Yes, and we always spend the holidays together. My mothers-in-law also helped me through everything." She played with her rings absently. "They had Hikaru through artificial insemination. Elizabeth carried him, but she and Hikaru almost died in the delivery room because things got complicated."

"They never had more kids, did they?"

"No, and they always adored me to begin with, but after Hikaru passed, they let me keep these rings," she tapped them for emphasis. "And let me tell you, the Lexingtons are the smarmiest, most stuck-up pack of—"

I interjected at this point, admonishing her. "Flora Lily Callaghan!"

"_What? _Why do you keep middle naming me? What did I do?"

"You were about to swear something filthy, weren't you?"

She almost looked sheepish. "Yeah, but it was the truth! And besides, it's not like the little kids can hear, seeing as they're all sleeping!"

I chose not to respond to that. "Just how much _do _you swear?"

"Enough for me to have deposited almost fifteen dollars into the Swear Jar last week," she grumbled moodily. "But it's not my fault that some of the kids in one of my photo shoots last week were unbelievably hyper. It didn't help that the mother had chosen _clowns _for the theme…"

"You have a swear jar in your house? _Do _you have roommates?"

Flora was about to respond when we heard a tune coming from her purse, which was next to her discarded tattoo bandages. We watched as she retrieved an iPad, flip back the cover, a giant picture of the Irish flag.

"You have a phone as well as an iPad?" I asked. "Why not get an iPhone?"

"I had one but lost it during the assignment where I met Hikaru. This device was an early birthday present to myself," She was typing a text without looking up. "And yes, I _do _have roommates. I have three, and I just got a text a person from them, asking me about dinner."

"All of you are welcome to eat with us."

"Yes." Kevin agreed with a nod as Flora sent another message. "It's pizza night, anyway."

There was a brief pause and then another round of the tune that I now recognized as the Irish National Anthem played, indicating a new message.

"What does that one say?"

"It says that they all have lots of homework to do."

I raised an eyebrow, speaking before Kevin did. "How old _are _your roommates, baby girl? They can do their homework here, but how old are they and how did you meet them?"

She raised an eyebrow back challenging me. "Why won't you tell me how you met your husband?"

"Another story for another time, and I asked you a question first!"

(To an outside observer, this would be an occasion where the fifteen year age gap between Flora and I was obvious)

"Fine." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "I met them when the towers came down because they got separated from their sister, but I pulled them inside a building with me to make sure they stayed together."

"You make it sound like they're siblings."

"They are, and I met them in the group home we were all put into. All three of them are a little younger than me so they're in high school—"

A new message interrupted Flora and she read it quickly.

"They're just down the street, coming up to the sidewalk after their subway ride."

I tried to keep the conversation going, but Alyssa and Francis wandered in at that moment, awake from their naps, in want of cuddles and attention. Startled that naptime had gone by so quickly, I got up to check on the twins, who were also waking up, happy and refreshed.

After that, my house fell into the general chaos that I was used to, and in the middle of it, I pulled Flora aside to talk to her.

"You never told us their names, and they should be here any second."

"Their names are Sayuri, Himawari and Akihiro Campbell, although I'm sure that—what?"

I'd stopped listening past the mention of their names because I was equal parts amused and surprised.

"Sayuri, Himawari and Akihiro are three of my students!"

Flora hoisted Elliana a little higher on her hip, smiling. "So _you _are the teacher they speak so fondly of."

"Am I? They are my quietest students and blend into the background, but they have top marks in everything."

"I should hope so. They _are _emancipated, but they work _hard _to get the scholarships they have!"

"Scholarships? What scholarships?"

_DING DONG! _

"This conversation is not over," I told her as I handed Thomas to her, secretly impressed that she could hold both of the twins comfortably at the same time. "But if you'll excuse me, I need to answer the front door. We have guests."

Sure enough, all three of the Campbell siblings, were on my doorstep, backpacks in hand and looking pretty surprised to see me. Sayuri, the eldest, found her voice first.

"Mrs Ryan, _you're _Flora's mother? She _found _you?"

"Yes and yes."

I only had a few seconds to think before my breathing became constricted from all three of them hugging me, but I returned the gesture.

"What was that for?" I asked when we pulled apart.

"Flora is the best thing that ever happened to us because she saved us on the day the towers fell." Sayuri explained. "She saved us by 'adopting' us and making sure we stayed together."

Himawari put her two cents in. "When she aged out of the system, she even sent money to us just to make sure we had some since we couldn't find the family we lost. Who does that kind of thing anymore?"

"Flora kept us _alive." _Akihiro emphasized the last word. "My sisters and I wouldn't have made it all these years without your daughter."

Sayuri gave me another hug. "Thanks for giving birth to Flora. She's our guardian angel."

For the millionth time in one afternoon, I was touched so deeply that I was moved to tears, and all I could do was move to the side to let them enter. If my oldest daughter means that much to these three kids, they're family now and we'll never turn them away.

_One hour later _

It turned out that they got along very well with the rest of my family, but as I watched them interact with each other, particularly Sayuri and Himawari because they're identical, I was getting creeped out because I was feeling confused about something.

Kevin was thinking along the same line and spoke to me in another corner of the kitchen, away from most of the kids.

"Is it just me, or do Sayuri and Himawari remind you of Amaya and kind of look like younger versions of her?"

"They actually do; I see it, too." He shivered. "It's kind of eerie…"

"Yes!" I breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the counter. "Thank you!"

"They look like what she probably did as a teenager, but my question is what about their brother? Was he adopted?"

"That's the word around school, but we still don't know if they are who we think they are."

"There's only one way to find out, Jenny. Show them the picture we have Amaya, Kenji and Sakura. That should do the trick."

I looked around. "Where is it?"

"On the refrigerator."

I found it and sat next to Himawari at the kitchen table. She immediately noticed I had something to share.

"What's that you've got there? A family picture?"

"Yes, actually, but not my family. I think they're _yours." _

My words had caught the attention of her brother and sister, and I placed the photo on Himawari's open Frech workbook.

Surprisingly, it was Akihiro who started tearing up first. He is one of the most stoic people I know. "It was my fault that we even got lost on that day. Amaya had a day of medical school for whatever reason, and I begged her to take us to look at the towers…"

Himawari whacked him on the back of the head and scolded him in Japanese before passing the picture to Sayuri and then speaking to me again, doing her best to keep it in English.

"That _is _a picture of our parents and big sister, although it's fifteen years later. You have their picture; do you know them?"

"Very well, and Amaya is one of my closest friends."

"Mrs Ryan, did they ever talk about us?"

"Not to me, no, but everybody has a thing or two they don't talk about."

They nodded in agreement.

"Would you like it if I called them to invite them over for dinner? I'll call only if you want them, but Amaya is going to want to bring her husband and kids if she comes."

They had a quick conversation, again in Japanese because it was faster for them, Himawari answering for them.

"We would love it, but what's this about Amaya having kids? We have nieces and nephews now?"

"Five nieces and four nephews. The is a few years younger than me and the youngest is a baby."

Their mouths dropped open in surprise.

"I would love to explain it all, but I have a phone call to make."

Getting up, I left the room to the basement steps where I could have some quiet. Amaya picked up quickly when I finally dialed her number.

"Hey, Jenny! What's up?"

"Amaya Beckett, you have some serious explaining to do!"

"You found out about the baby?"

This threw me for a loop. "_What _baby? You're _pregnant?" _

She cursed in Japanese. "I really can't keep my mouth shut, can I? Yes, I'm pregnant, but I'm carrying a surrogate baby for the Singhs. Keep it under your hat right now."

"Will do, but congrats."

"Thanks. Now please tell me why you called, sounding like you were about to smite me."

"Why did you never tell me that you have three teenage siblings? They're all at my kitchen table doing homework!"

I was greeted by a surprised silence on the other line, and then: "Y-you found them?"

"Technically, it was my oldest daughter who found them."

I proceeded to tell her about Flora and her connection to Amaya's family, and by the end of the phone call, Amaya promised that she, her parents, her family—Castle clan included—would all be over soon.

I also called the Espositos because they would want to be part of this, too.

_Later that night _

The reunion between Amaya and her parents and their long lost family members was one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever seen in my life, and it didn't matter that it was all in Japanese, the first language of their family, because the joy that was being expressed was the kind of thing that was universal. I'd also experienced the same feelings earlier when I was reunited with Flora.

Speaking of whom I could tell that she was delighted to meet everybody, but after awhile, I could that she was getting overtired, something she had done easily as a baby. She even started crying a little when because we hadn't seen my parents or brothers yet, all of whom she remembered very well and really wanted to see. I assured her that we could visit them tomorrow, after she was rested up and done with work. Flora had no problems with that plan.

As for Sayuri, Himawari and Akihiro, they were torn between going home with their parents and staying with Flora, but they chose the latter because my daughter is pretty much their surrogate mother. Kenji and Sakura understood the choice their youngest children made and respected it, asking them to come around to dinner tomorrow evening.

We later invited Francis and Flora to stay the night, and she accepted, as did her companions when I extended the invitation to them. They were thrilled and amused about staying the night at a teacher's house and catching a ride with me in the morning, and let me talk them into having permission to be on a first-name basis with me they were guests in my home.

By the time Kevin and I were ready for bed and reading before we turned out the lights, I was deep in thought about the day's events.

Once more, Kevin noticed. "A penny for your thoughts, Jennifer?"

I smiled at the use of my given name. "Right now, I'm thinking about everything that's just happened and also about how blessed our family is."

"We're very blessed, aren't we?" he set his Bible down on his bedside table, looking thoughtful. "Do you remember the first time you told me about Flora?"

"Only in bits and pieces," I confessed. "Because I told you about her when I was in the hospital, recovering from being shot and also loopy, thanks to the painkillers. Come to think of it, I'm surprised I didn't get hooked on them or anything else that was pumped into my body. I know I was clean for eight years by then, but still… twenty-two years of being totally sober and I've never had any relapses… that's a good thing, though…"

"It's a very good thing, and I'm so proud of you." Kevin leaned over and gave me the kind of kiss that quickly fried my neurons. "You were _extremely _loopy the first time you brought her up, but you said that even though we'd just met a few days before that, you trusted me enough to even talk about her. You also said that I became your reason to concentrate on not getting hooked again."

"Did I?" (Honestly, hearing those words from him made me feel dazed) "You're still my reason, and so are Flora, Alyssa, Elliana, Thomas and now Francis, but lots of that period has always been fuzzy."

Kevin didn't respond, but that's because he was looking at me with complete love and adoration. He spoke when I just raised my eyebrows at him.

"I think it was the painkillers talking at the time, but you made an extra point of telling me that despite Flora being literally lost, you were never going to give up hope about her coming home, even if it happened _twenty _years from then. That feeling of hope was one of your reasons to focus on staying clean because you wanted to be in your best health the next time you saw Flora."

"I feel like a dork for not remembering any of this, but I lost some parts of my memory because of when I was using and from having undergone so much trauma during the shooting, especially since I didn't see it coming. I think that the aftermath of what happened in Ireland is also a big factor."

"If it was me, I would have _definitely _blocked some things out. Surviving a bomb blast, losing a child _and _being shot all in the same ten year period would do a lot to anybody's memory, even in the time after."

"What else did I say when I was loopy?"

"I'm pretty sure it was the medicine again, but you also said that our future children were going to be another reason to stay clean. You really don't remember? I thought you would..."

"Now I wish I could."

"What a bummer, because you said that your other reason to work on staying clean was our happily ever after that you had dreamed about. The thing is…" He moved closer and played with my long blond hair. "I had also dreamed about it already, even though we'd known each other for like a week."

I returned his kiss from earlier. "Kevin Francis Xavier, I started finding my happily ever after with you on the day we met almost fifteen years ago now, but as of today, I finally have everything I've ever wanted. What about you?"

He pulled me close, just wanting to hold me near, and he kissed my brow in the kind of way he had after the last two times I gave birth.

"I _absolutely _have everything I've ever wanted, too. It wasn't easy, getting to where we are now, but I have to say—everything is perfect."

And indeed it was.


	13. Melissa and Flora

_May 18, next day _

_Remy's Diner, twelve noon _

_Melissa's Point of View _

I've been interested in photography for as long as I can remember, and it's almost been a lifelong passion of mine. I received my first working camera when I was eight and was hired by Calvin's dad to work at his photography studio a decade later, and the rest is history.

But the thing is that when I was hired to work at _Suspended In Time, _I started out with Calvin as my partner, but that's not working anymore because he left when he was offered a once-in-a-lifetime offer to work with his favorite illustrator, Tillie Brigid. I'm glad my fiancé took it, but his action left me without a work partner.

For a brief time, I considered working without by myself, but I eventually realized that it wasn't going work out, so with Rafferty's help, I've interviewed five people, but everything has fallen flat so far.

I'm at wit's end because today is interview number six… out of six.

However, as Calvin and I parted ways for work this morning, he reminded me that today couldn't be a total bust because today's lunch interview was with the local photographer legend Flora Lily. She's barely into her twenties, too, but she's as elite as they come… as am I.

The only thing about Flora Lily is that I know her by reputation, but I really don't know what she looks like because there aren't any pictures of her on her website. Plus, I've never quite had a reason to look her up.

Honestly, I'm surprised that she's looking for a partner, but hey—this could really turn into something!

When I talked to Flora on the phone last night, I asked where she was wanted to meet and I was a little surprised when she said Remy's Diner, but then she explained that she couldn't get a babysitter for her two-year-old son, so he was going to have to come with her, and Remy's Diner was a kid-friendly atmosphere. I agreed to meet her there at noon, especially because just at the mention of the diner alone, I had a sudden hankering for a burger, fries and a milkshake. I'm only five weeks pregnant, and the cravings are kicking in already…

(I haven't mentioned anything about my pregnancy to Flora. Yet)

The only nagging thought I keep having as I sit here in a booth at the diner is that when I was in elementary school, I had a classmate named Flora Lawless, and she had been a bully to me because she didn't like that I was in first grade for a week before joining her second grade class. But it was because I'd punched her in the nose during a field trip to the Twin Towers on 9/11 that I survived. My teacher had seen me strike Flora and she dragged us both outside for a lecture, but then the towers fell, and it was all chaos.

I never found out what happened to Flora.

I wonder if she would recognize me after all these years if we ran into each other.

I wonder if she would remember being a bully.

"Excuse me? Are you Melissa?"

Brought back down to Earth with a jolt, I looked up to see the person who just had to be the one and only Flora Lily standing in front of the booth I was in. (The little boy standing patiently by her side was a huge giveaway) To her credit, she had sunglasses on, so of course I couldn't see what she looked like entirely.

"Yes! Hi!" Moving my things out of the way, I motioned for her and her son to sit down. "Please join me!"

She got settled and pulled some things out for her son to entertain himself with before putting her own things away.

"This is going to sound weird, But did you go to the Saint Mary Elementary School in Manhattan when you were little? Were you in Sister Tabitha's class?"

…I can't think of a better segue than that…

"As a matter of fact, I did go there and I _was _in Sister Tabitha's class. I was the kid who skipped to second grade after being in first grade for a week."

"I remember you more now!" Flora flushed bright red. "I picked on you a lot, didn't I? I'm so sorry!"

"You picked on me because you didn't like a pipsqueak being in your class."

She flushed a deeper shade and tapped her nose, making me notice the tattoos on her arm and knuckles. "I _definitely _remember you slugging me during a field trip to the Twin Towers, though. I got lost when they came down, but I tried to look for you."

"Thanks, Flora. That means a lot." I hesitated after that, thinking of how to phrase my next words, but she spoke first.

"And yes, I _am _Jenny Ryan's daughter."

"You're her spitting image! Why has she never mentioned you?"

"I was just reunited with her for the first time in fifteen years yesterday and I met the rest of her family, too. We all have things we don't talk about."

She squirmed in her chair uncomfortably.

"But me being a bully is in the past, right?"

"Right." I agreed.

"Do you want to be friends?"

"Yes, but first we have to order some food before we can get down to business, although it looks like someone is already stuffing his face and is happy about it…"

We looked down and saw that her son had gotten into his diaper bag, sound the snacks and was now stuffing his face full of cheerios that he didn't look ready to part with. Francis was his name, and he could only speak ASL because he's deaf, but luckily for him, I'm fluent in it because little Lucy speaks it alongside her Spanglish. I was able to distract him with a story so Flora could put the cheerios away without being noticed.

Once we'd ordered our food, our talk had turned to photography as Flora showed me her portfolio.

"Flora, these pictures are stunning!" I exclaimed as I looked through the pages. "How long have you been taking pictures?"

"Fifteen years, funnily enough. I got my first camera after I was put into a group home, and I've been taking pictures ever since."

I turned the page and found myself looking at a glossy black and white picture of two separate feminine hands, both with wedding rings on the their left hands. Their hands were on a black backdrop, so we couldn't see much else except for the long-stemmed rose that the hands were holding.

"Who are these two?"

"My mothers-in-law." She smiled fondly. "They just celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary and wanted me to do their pictures."

"That was very sweet of you." I turned the page to see a picture of the bride and groom on their wedding day. "What about them?"

"Alderman Sanchez's daughter and her new husband at their wedding in Hawaii five months ago. That trip was loads of fun because I'd worked for the Alderman before, but his daughter asked for me specifically, and even let me bring Francis. He had a blast."

"Well, let me tell you—if I do hire you and we have to go out of state, I'd let you bring him."

She smiled appreciatively and then saw that I was near the end of the portfolio. "The last picture is my absolute favorite."

It was a close-up picture of two redheaded newborn twin baby girls, fast asleep as their mother held them close to her chest. Her husband was behind her, supporting the underside of his wife's arms with his own. The twins were dressed in blue butterfly wings and knit antennae hats as both of their parents rested on the floor, leaning against a wall as they looked down at their babies adoringly.

What surprised me was who the parents were: Jordan and Rafferty!

I raised my eyebrows at Flora. "Do you know who this couple is?"

"They are the founder of _Suspended In Time, _Rafferty Shaw, and his wife, Jordan," she gave me a serious look. "But you know that already. Why are you asking?"

"Because their son Calvin in my fiancé!"

Flora was very surprised at this and wanted to say something, but didn't have a chance because our food had arrived. We continued our conversation a few minutes later as we all tucked into our food and Flora went first.

"You're engaged to Calvin? When's the big day?"

"We don't even know yet," I admitted as I thought of the baby. "But it's not any time soon because we're going to be having a visit from the stork first."

Her face lit up. "You're pregnant, too? Congratulations! I know you've just seen my portfolio, but allow me to say that pregnancy photo shoots and newborn baby photo shoots are my specialties. I'll do them for you, if you like!"

"I'll have to talk to Calvin about it before I can give you a definite answer, but first tell me how you were able to do this photograph of Rafferty, Jordan and the twins. The Shaws are very picky about who does their personal photography."

"I was fourteen when I did that shoot for them, and it was around the time I'd tagged along to a winter fundraiser that the local hospital was having, and my pictures turned out to be among some of the best. Rafferty heard about me through the grapevine and asked me to do a hospital photo shoot and a family studio photo shoot for them. Calvin was there, but obviously not in that particular shot."

My curiosity got the better of me. "Have you done anything else for them?"

"Everything except for the studio birthday shoots because they're private."

"Why haven't I ever seen you before? I've been there for awhile now."

"Up until now, I've been working by myself. I want a partner because it sounds like fun and I also want a change of pace."

I mulled things over for a few minutes as I moved my fries around on their plate. Flora busied herself with checking on Francis.

But it wasn't too hard of a choice to make, really…

"It's official: I want to take you on as my partner!"

Flora looked up, startled that I'd decided so quickly. "Wow, thank you! When would you like me to start?"

"How does this coming Monday sound?"

_Later that night, Shaw house _

Much to my dismay, Calvin didn't make it home until around ten that night, but he made it up to me with a long shower together in the bathroom of his basement bedroom, after which my pregnancy hormones started driving me bonkers, which in turn spurred my fiancé to make love to me so I could feel a little bit of relief.

It wasn't until after all of that and we were in bed that we talked about our day.

"I found a partner today, Cal, and I'm so glad I picked her."

"So everything worked out with Flora Lily, then?"

"Like three hundred percent, but why didn't you mention that you know her?"

He shrugged. "It never came up before, and besides—dad is the one who talked shop with her. I was preoccupied with healing from my injuries, _plus, _I was falling behind in school."

(Despite it being a stifling hot evening with a nonexistent breeze and our bedroom door was wide open, I still felt him shiver as he flashed back to his healing period after getting stabbed and shot by thugs on the subway)

"Fair enough, but guess what?"

"What's that?"

I had to really focus because he'd propped me against the headboard so it was easier to kiss my whole body.

"Flora want to do the pregnancy and newborn shoots for us."

Calvin gave my belly a gentle kiss. "She does? She knows about the baby?"

"The topic came up," I shrugged. "And the last picture in her portfolio is of your parents and sisters. The butterfly baby picture?"

"Mom has that on a frame on her bedside table. Do you think that she'd want to cover the wedding, too?"

"Absolutely; she'd probably go through the roof because it was Rafferty who really helped her get on the map."

I flipped him over without warning, laughing when he groaned.

"Missy, if you want round two, you could've just said!"

"I totally want it," I told him, holding his hands over my bump. "But first you have to tell me _something _about the 'top secret' project at Black Pawn that you've been recruited for!"

"I can't because it's _top secret." _He teased me. "Giving away details would be defeating the purpose."

"Can't you tell me _anything?" _

"Other than that Alexis will be expecting you and Jessica at her place tomorrow at five with a fancy ball gown that you should go shopping for? Nope; I can't say anything."

"That works for me, and now I'll reward you." I leaned forward, kissing him. "Ready for round two?"

"Yes, please!"


	14. Tillie's Birthday, Part One

_May 19, next day _

_Park house, Midtown Manhattan _

_Matilda's Point of View _

Today is my thirtieth birthday, and it's been one of my best birthdays to date.

It started at seven-fifteen this morning when my family woke me up, singing 'Happy Birthday' to me and carrying a tray of all of my favorite things to eat, including French toast, fresh fruit and bacon. There was so much that I felt like I wouldn't have to eat for days afterward.

After the food came all of the presents, and there were heaps because along with the ones from my Jung, Shakayla, Grayson and Zoe Jane, there were presents from Jung's parents as well as from both of my older half-brothers, Kevin and Thomas, as well as a few from my sister-in-law Jenny's parents. (They treat Kevin, Thomas and I like their own since none of our parents are around anymore) I only got through a small portion of my gifts before Shakayla had to remind Grayson that they had to leave right at that moment for the subway if they wanted to male it to school on time. That left Jung and I with five-month-old Zoe Jane, who had a field day with the wrapping paper when she found it, ripping the discarded paper and throwing it up in the air.

Midday has been the highlight so far because both of my darling brothers dropped by with big bouquets of daisies, and took me out to lunch at my favorite Italian restaurant in Times Square, all as a surprise. I treause times like that with them because up until nine years ago, I didn't even know they existed!

Luckily, I only a had a half-day of illustrating business to take care of because I have a book launch party to get ready for. The book in question is for the Rick Castle's first children's book: _Nikki Heat, Almighty Hank the Tank and the Case of the Missing Canary. _Calvin and I are the illustrators for the story, which is geared towards the six-and-under crowd, and we just got the advanced copies yesterday. When he saw his name in print next to mine, his favorite illustrator, he was practically in orbit because he was so excited and proud.

Just as I was packing up to go home, _Jenny _stopped by to whisk me away on a shopping trip. She knew full well that I had a book launch because she was also going, but 'a little birdie' told her that I still didn't have a dress yet, so she decided to come with me to make sure I actually bought a dress.

(I've known Jenny since I was twenty-one, and we treat each other like the sisters we never had)

And now, at five o'clock, I was arriving back home to get ready for the party and when I arrived home, the house was disturbingly quiet.

"Hello? Is anybody home?"

Jung came around the corner from the kitchen, holding Zoe in his arms.

"I'll trade you that garment bag for a baby." He joked as our daughter squealed happily at the sight of me.

"Here you go." I swapped him my garment bag for Zoe and looked around. "Where are Shakayla and Grayson?"

"They left about thirty minutes ago to get ready at Miranda's house."

(Miranda Gates is Shakayla's girlfriend)

"So that leaves me, you and the baby…"

I looked down at the baby perched on my hip, holding onto my shirt and babbling happily to herself.

"Sometimes," I mused to Jung as I gave Zoe a cuddle. "I'm still surprised that Zoe's hair is _red _because you and I both have such dark hair that's never changed color naturally."

"I've said it before, but I'll say it again: she didn't get it from me because of my deep and authentic Korean heritage, and you said your mom wasn't a redhead, so it stands to reason that it was your dad."

"Yeah, but I wish that I could have known his name and what he was like, even if he was a drug dealer. He was killed thirty years ago today…"

"What kind of talk is that on your birthday?" Jung put an arm around my shoulders and steered me towards the stairs. "Now why don't you go show me this dress you got?"

"It's a ball gown that makes me look like a Disney princess!"

"But it's your birthday, and _besides, _I know Rick is the author, but you're one of the illustrators, and it's no secret that you have a legion or two of young fans who are going to be there, each one more thrilled than the next just to see you, and they'll think that it's the neatest thing that you're dressed to the nines on your special day."

I felt better immediately and began describing the dress in detail.

_Across town, Gramercy Park _

_Alexis' Point of View, same time _

Way to go, me! Not.

Last night, I was given a pleasant surprise when mom, Gram and Ashley's mother, Molly, decided to treat me to dinner at my favorite fancy restaurant in Midtown. Gram asked me what kind of wanted, but I was thinking about other things, and my automatic response was "No wine for the preggo." Mom, Gram and Molly were very surprised and excited nonetheless by the accidental reveal of the news, meaning that dad and Ashley's dad, Seamus, were going to find out by the end of the night.

Ashley and I had been planning to tell our families during a family gathering, but that obviously backfired because even LJ and Jameson found out. The two of them commandeered mom's phone to video chat happily with me about it.

At least Tobias knows and is over the moon…

_DING DONG! _

"Can somebody please get the door?" I called into the din of seven extra people in a small space. "That should be Melissa!"

Jessica was happy to oblige and went to let her in while I coaxed Grace Esposito away from the cabinets of pots and pans that she was determined to get into. It took a few minutes because she started _barking _at me, sounding like an angry Chihuahua puppy, but I was finally able to shoo her out of the kitchen and into the living room where she immediately stayed next to Bella.

"What's going on, Alexis?" Melissa asked as she set her purse down but held onto her garment containing her new dress. "Calvin told me to meet you here to get ready for an event tonight, but he's been sworn to secrecy about it and can't or just _won't _tell me anything."

I shrugged. "Well, I guess it's because you don't have kids yet, but we're going to get ready for the book launch party of dad's new _picture book, _you know: _Nikki Heat, Almighty Hank the Tank and the Case of the Missing Canary." _

"So that's what it's called…"

"Plus, it's at the children's bookstore downtown, The Story Cave." Jessica chirped. "We are regular visitors there because they have a wide selection of books in Braille."

"The best part about tonight, though, is that it's also a surprise for Tillie as gift from her fans because she has an astonishing amount of little ones who love her work. My parents, Calvin, and the president of Black Pawn Publishing all put it together. As far as Tillie knows, she's just going to a book launch."

Melissa was nodding as she looked around the apartment living room. "Okay, but why are there so many kids here? Toby lives here, but what about Bella, Grace, Tokutaro, Mitsunobu, Shinju and Nozomi?"

"Bella is here because she's my daughter," Jessica teased, holding her hands in the small of her back, to relieve the ache from her huge pregnant belly. "And Gracie tagged along because Bella asked for her. Leon is here, too, but he's napping in Tobias' room."

"Javier and Lanie aren't coming?"

"No, because papa is bone tired from work and I also thought it would be nice for them to have some quiet time with my new sister, Liberty. She's two weeks old now and getting so big already!"

Melissa smiled, but her expression seemed vacant, something that Jessica wouldn't catch because she's blind.

"Why don't you explain to Melissa why four of Yoshi's younger siblings are here?" I said in a pointed tone.

"Jim just went out of town today to teach a short course at his alma mater in Pennsylvania and will be gone for about a month, and Amaya is at the hospital overnight with one of her patients, so she's going to be home at some point tomorrow, and Keiko is being babysat by Amaya's parents. It's all hands on deck at the house right now, and Yoshi and I are running the show."

(So it looks like Jessica has fully moved in at the Serizawa-Beckett house…)

"Where _is _Yoshi?"

Working, but he'll be along soon. I already brought his suit over…"

"Awwww!" I gushed. "That's cute, the way you're keeping tabs on his things like that!"

Jessica gave me a playful shove which made Melissa smile a little bit.

"Why am I always the last one to know about these kinds of things, though?"

"Because you and Calvin don't have any real reasons of your own to be regular customers at a children's bookstore. Not yet, anyway."

"That's what you think…" she muttered.

Jessica and I stared at her in shock, having instantly understood what she meant, and when Melissa realized that we knew, she burst into tears and left the room. We found her sitting on the edge of mine and Ashley's bed.

"What's the matter?" I asked Jessica and I sat on either side of her. "It's okay to cry, but why did you start?"

"My money is on a pregnancy because you totally just gave it away." Jessica added.

"Well, you're right about that. I'm upset with myself because Calvin and I wanted to tell you two together, and I've spoiled the surprise." Melissa laughed a little bit. "I'm five weeks along, and we just saw our precious little one on the screen at the appointment this morning."

"I understand why you two would keep something like this quiet because Alexis and I have both been in situations where that was _imperative," _Jessica said. "But do your sisters know?"

"They found out shortly after me, and they were horrid. It was like a kneejerk response, but it was still horrid."

Melissa went on to explain how they had reacted, leaving Jessica and I sympathetic but confused because she was smiling.

"The biggest silver lining is that Jordan and Rafferty extended me an invitation to move in there."

"Oh, that's great!" I chirped. "Did you take it?"

"Of course, and we'll be there until we've found a place of our own to live." She ran a hand over her belly where I could see a small bump forming. "I just hope it's before the baby comes…"

"I'm sure it will be," I addressed Jessica, too. "And guess what, you two?"

"What?"

"Jessica's baby boy is going to have _two _playmates because I'm expecting, too!"

Both of my friends gave happy squeals and hugged me, but we didn't get much time to talk because Shinju appeared suddenly in the doorway politley knocking on the doorframe.

"Tía Lexie?"

I turned towards her. "Yes?"

"Mitsunobu just tolded me to tell you that it's time to get ready to go. Also, I think Leon is wakin' up."

I thanked her as I got to my feet and gave her some instructions. "One of us will get Leon, but you go round everyone up and tell them to come back here because everybody's fancy clothes are hanging in my closet. And if Grace barks again, get one of the big boys to carry her in here!"

Understanding my words, the seven-year-old scampered out while Melissa left to get Leon and Jessica fished her dress out of the closet and changed behind my huge Chinese changing screen in the far corner of my room. In the midst of the chaos, Ashley and Yoshi both arrived at the same time and were happy to help everyone get ready.

The task of dressing baby Leon fell to me because I was the only person he wanted to be with and as I sat on the edge of the bed, getting the infant dressed and cooing to him in baby talk, my husband and son both wandered in, dressed in tuxedos.

"Hey, Red." Ashley greeted me with an old pet name. "Are you ready yet?"

I made a conscious effort to speak in a normal tone. "Almost. I've got my favorite maternity dress on, but I need to finish getting Leon ready first."

Leon, who had started looking around at the mention of his name and began babbling louder than before.

"Isn't that right, little guy?" I cooed enthusiastically, propping himself up so I could put his hat and socks on him a little easier. "All your Tía Lexie has to do is finish getting you ready and then it's _my _turn!"

Leon just laughed and squealed in response.

I finished with him and stood up, but felt vertigo for a second. Ashley caught me as I swayed and helped me to sit back down, but for good measure, he sat Tobias next me and took Leon in his own arms.

"What's the matter?" my husband asked with concern.

I massaged my noticeable baby bump. "Just a little vertigo spell, is all. It'll pass."

Because Tobias' leg isn't done healing yet, he's still in a cast, so he half crawled, half dragged himself towards me and gave my belly a rub.

"Sissy, be goo' fo' mama!" he admonished in an authoritative manner for a one-and-a-half year old. "Be goo' an' then have lotsa fun!"

"Those are wise words, Toby. Are you setting an example for the baby?"

"An' Leon! He es my buddy!"

Ashley chipped in a question at this point. "You think the baby in mama's tummy is a girl?"

Tobias nodded, responding in Spanglish, the language he seems to prefer the most. "Si! Baby es girl 'cause-a wissin' sta's!"

He crawled away after that, humming the tune to 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.' Ashley and I stared after him before I got to my feet again and continued getting myself ready. Once I was done, it took another twenty minutes to make sure everybody had what they wanted to bring, but we were _all _out of the apartment in a flash when the doorman called up that the town care my dad had previously arranged for had arrived. After everybody got settled and the driver started driving, Shinju's voice could be heard from the backseat, loud and clear.

"Next stop: The Story Cave for a book launch! Full speed ahead, Captain!"


	15. Tillie's Birthday, Part Two

**I know there are eleven of you who are following this story, and to the ones who review – thanks :) As for the rest of you, could you show yourselves every once and awhile? I won't know that you like it that much if you won't say anything…**

_The Story Cave Children's Bookstore, Midtown Manhattan _

_Matilda's Point of View _

I definitely knew something was up when we got the bookstore because Jung was positively giddy about something, unintentionally channeling his energy into Zoe Jane, who was acting like a wiggle worm in my arms. I didn't have time to worry about her because we entered through the back of the store, coming directly into the backstage area of the stage used for storytelling and puppet shows. The curtain was down, so I couldn't see or hear anything because the material was extra thick, but my attention was diverted by Calvin, who came to pluck Zoe from my arms and hand her off to someone else… but I was distracted yet again by Madison's assistant, _Caitlan, _was also with him.

"Where did you come from? Shouldn't you be with Madison?"

The other woman, who had definitely blossomed into the second trimester of her twin pregnancy and was showing well for it, sat me in front of a nearby vanity table and began touching up my long dark hair, which was styled into long princess curls.

"Maddie is a few days away from her due date, and won't be leaving her house for anything right now." She pulled a medium-sized velvet square box from her purse and held it out to me. "My husband and I are looking after her kids tonight. Open that box."

I did as I was told and saw a simple but silver tiara nestled inside.

"Wow!" I exclaimed as I lifted it out to examine because it fit in with my love for things described as elegant but simple. "This is beautiful!"

Caitlan took it from me and set it in my hair.

"Madison sent it along as a birthday present."

She did a little more adjusting and smiled at me in the mirror.

"There you go—all set to dazzle!"

I got to my feet and thanked her, but then noticed the way she was holding her belly.

"Are you okay?"

She smiled reassuringly. "Yeah, I'm fine. My babies have recently figured out how to be squirmy, and they love to torture me at all hours of the day."

I said something in response, but I wasn't sure what it was because I was thinking about other things.

Like for instance how Jung and I are planning to expand our family when Zoe is older.

Or perhaps how my diabetes would probably cause problems with another pregnancy.

(We had a scare with Zoe two months before moving to Manhattan when I was thirty weeks pregnant with her)

Jung and I really _would _like to have a big family, but if I got pregnant again, the baby would more than likely get sick… or die…

When the time comes, I'll suggest a surrogate pregnancy.

_If _that flies with Jung, the only person I'd ask to do it is Jenny…

"Hello? Are you with me?"

I snapped out of my reverie and smiled at Caitlan. "Yep; I one hundred percent and ready to go."

"Outstanding."

The word was barely out of her mouth when Calvin reappeared, hurrying towards me, a hand outstretched.

"Come on, Tillie! It's almost time to go on!"

I gave him my hand and followed him, but became confused when stopped in the middle of the stage.

"Stay here." He told me.

"What?"

"_Stay here." _

Calvin left through a side door, and about ten seconds later, the curtain rose, thrusting me into the spotlight. I was briefly blinded by the lights, but as I regained my sight, I heard a chorus of little voices all squealing, "It's Tillie! There she is!" and "Hi, birfday girl! You so prettyful!"

Kate, who was watching nearby and dressed in a splendid purple evening dress, spoke above the din.

"Come on, everyone! We talked about this!"

The kids giggled nervously and Kate prompted the next question.

"What do we do next?"

"SING HER HAPPY BIRFDAY!" they cheered.

Kate and Castle got everybody to sing to me as I sat down on a chair on the stage that somebody had already set out. As the song ended, Grayson and Lily Joy hurried on, the sight of the huge greeting cards they were carrying between them surprising me even more.

"What are these?" I asked as they deposited the cards in my lap. "Birthday cards?"

"Uh-huh!" Lily Joy chirped. "All the little kids who came in the store all wrote their names inside!"

Grayson looked out at the audience, all of whom were dressed to the nines, and asked them a question.

"How many of you put your names on my mama's cards?"

Every single kid—and there had to be at least seventy—put a hand up. Grayson turned back and hugged me.

"It looks like lots of people like you! Happy birthday, mama!"

He and Lily Joy left under Castle's supervision, and as if I wasn't surprised enough, _Jenny _sauntered onstage, also dressed in a beautiful evening dress that also made her look a Disney princess. My sister-in-law had a coy smile on her face.

"Are you surprised?"

"Very."

"Are you happy?"

"Totally."

"That's what I want to hear." She gathered up my cards up and helped me to my feet. "Now let's thank your audience so you can go sit down."

I thanked them and they all waved, watching as Jenny helped me off the stage and over to a chair by my family as the Castles began talking, diverting the kids' attention back to them. Before finding her own family, Jenny gave my hand a gentle squeeze and whispered, "Happy birthday, little sis."

Of course, I was deeply touched, but I had to do my best to focus on the couple onstage because the night wasn't over yet and both of the Castles had the kids mesmerized already, especially because both of them were acting like goofballs.

"Does anybody have any questions before we start," Rick wanted to know. "And I don't just mean something like, 'Why is the sky blue?' or 'Is there really such thing as Big Foot?' because those answers would take way too long."

"But feel free to ask your parents when you go home." Kate added with a wink.

There were more giggles from the crowd, but then a little girl all the way in the back spoke up, yelling loudly so she could be heard when Kate called on her.

"My question is for Katie!"

"What's your name?"

"Gemma, and my question is will you please read the book wif Mister Castle since you're his bride?"

Kate blushed bright red at Gemma's phrasing, and under the spotlight, every last kid could see it and they found it hilarious, but Kate bounced right back.

"Of course I'll read with him!"

The kids cheered at her answer and pretty soon, both of the Castles were reading aloud from_Nikki Heat, Almighty Hank the Tank, and the Case of the Missing Canary, _and Kate was charming the crowd to no end by doing a Russian accent for Nikki and then a high pitched squeaky tone for Hank, who just so happened to be a huge talking Bull Mastiff dog.

_Later _

As with all book launches I attend for books that I illustrate, there's always a part where sit with the author and sign books. I knew the drill but Calvin was nervous because this was his first book signing where he was one of the illustrators and not a kind in line, but he got into the swing of things when I advised him to talk to the kids the way same way he talks to Justice and Jubilation, meaning that in no time flat, there were more than just a few little girls giggling hysterically at the sight of him because he was being such a charmer.

The line of kids ran past Castle and Calvin first, meaning that I was at the end of the line and one little boy in particular stood out, with his light skin, curly dark hair and big brown eyes. I recognized him as the son of Caitlan Russell and Henry Meinrad.

"Hi, cutie!" I greeted him as I took his book and signed it. "What's your name?"

"My name Kai, and I am three!" he breathed excitedly. "I gots a ques'ion fo' you!"

"What's that, Kai?"

"Please may I have a picture wif you?"

"Sure thing!"

Kai shook with joy and then held up a stuffed toy camel. "What 'bout him? He called Sir Bev'dere."

"He may be in the picture, too."

Kai gave an excited squeal and came around the end of the table and was almost in orbit when I let him get on my lap. It was a wonder that he could sit still long enough for his dad to take a picture. Before he got down, he gave me a spontaneous peck on the cheek and then slid off, giggling happily with his camel and newly signed book. Ignoring his father calling after him about using his indoor voice, Kai yelled out to his mother, who was across the room with Madison's kids and everybody heard him, because it was as if his little voice had been magnified ten times the excitement and joy he was feeling.

"LOOKIT, MAMA, LOOKIT! I GOTS A PICTURE WIF HER AN' SHE PUT HER NAME IN MY NEW BOOK! MY DREAM CAMED _TRUE _'CAUSE I MEETED MY FAIRY-LADY, PRINCESS TILLIE!"

That made my night.


	16. In Which Yoshi and Jessica Run Things

**Special thanks to myboygeorge :)**

_May 20, next day _

_Beckett-Serizawa house, Brooklyn _

_Yoshi's Point of View _

Even before Jessica Rose came into my life, bringing Gabriella with her, I understood the responsibilities of being a parent all too well because when I was thirteen, I witnessed my father's murder and it forced me to grow up quicker than I would have liked, but who else was going to take care of my four-year-old twin brothers while my mom grieved a horrible loss?

I looked after my brothers while mom coped with being a widow and fighting daily with her parents and me about enrolling herself in grief counseling. (She went eventually) What stopped her from going completely over the edge like I heard she's done in the past was finding out that she was pregnant with my younger twin sisters. Mom wanted to keep herself together for their sakes because she wanted them to be born as healthy as possible. When they _were _born, mom paid plenty enough attention to them, but she still wanted some time to continue with her counseling sessions, so I stepped up to the plate again to take care of my sisters, too.

I wasn't raising my siblings alone, but mom had set up a barricade around us because of how afraid she was. In response, her parents made me swear on mom's life and so that I would uphold the family honor as the new man of the house that I would take care of mom and my siblings to the best of my ability, and I did.

Little by little, mom allowed us people to help us, and that's how we became close with the Shaws, the Quellers, the Ryans, the O'Malleys and all of the Singhs.

Despite having such a strong support system, my little siblings have always looked to me as the supportive male figure in their lives because two of them don't remember their daddy at all, while the other two never had chance to meet him.

Yes, Jim is our stepfather now, but my siblings consider me home base when they're scared, and after seven years, I don't mind that kind of responsibility because it makes me feel important, but it's also given me training for situations like the one we're in today.

(I'm extra glad that Jessica Rose and Gabriella have moved in because I can really use Jessica's help)

Jim is out of town for a month at his alma mater in Pennsylvania teaching an English course, but mom was called into work at the hospital early yesterday morning because one of her high-risk patients went into labor early, but she called after that delivery to inform us that she had to stay overnight to monitor the patient.

In the end, that left Jessica and me in charge of not only Bella, but also Tokutaro, Mitsunobu, Shinju and Nozomi for the entire day and night. My stepsiblings, Jeffery and Sophia, are around, but they're in high school. Mom's parents made things a little easier by taking baby Keiko for the night, but we have her back now, meaning that we're now responsible for two high schoolers, two middle schoolers, three elementary kids (inlcluding Bella), and an infant.

Jessica and I are twenty-one and twenty in that order.

Today should be interesting…

"Jessica," I addressed my girlfriend. "When you were little, did you play house with your foster siblings?"

"All the time. Why?"

"Did you ever think that you'd play a real life version with eight kids?"

"Not once."

I set down a crate of bento boxes at my feet and pushed it to the side. "Well, prepare yourself because they're headed this way."

It's seven twenty-five in the morning and because there are so many people in the house, we are a family of early risers, especially since six of my siblings use the subway to get to school. As a result, they travel in a pack when they're getting ready to leave in the morning.

"Here you go, Yoshi." Mitsunobu deposited Keiko into my arms. "Princess Doodlebug is all freshened up."

"Thanks, bro." I nodded towards the crate where the others were gathered. "Now collect your bento box from Bella, and make sure she doesn't mix them all up."

Five minutes later, everybody had their own bento boxes and had extracted their backpacks from the pile by the door. After we doublechecked to see that everybody had their jackets, shoes and metrocards, we watched Jeffery and Sophia shepherd the rest of the schoolbound kids outside and down the sidewalk to the subway. Bella shut the door behind them and spoke to Jessica.

"Mama, when we were all in the kitchen, we were talking about eye color."

"Were you, now?"

(Bella is legally blind, but doesn't talk about it because since she's very self-conscious of her cloudy eyes)

"What color were my eyes before they got cloudy?"

"Bright green."

Now Bella was confused. "How do you know? You're blinderer than me!"

"Remember how I told you about Mama Leila?"

"Yep; you said that she took care of us when we didn't have a home, when I was growing in your tummy still, _and _after I was borned."

"The first time I held you, she described every inch of you, just so I could know."

Bella smiled happily at this and ran forward, throwing her arms around Jessica's massive belly, but then she looked up at me and waited while I appeased Keiko before asking a new question.

"What color eyes do you think my brother will have?"

I shrugged. "I've never thought about it, niña, but maybe they'll be green since I've been told that's my eye color, too."

Bella gasped in delight, thrilled to learn something new about me.

"Now go get your shoes on because we have a lot to do today."

"Like going to the library." She said in complete seriousness. "I gotta bring some stuff back before they're overdue…"

"And afterward, we have some fun grown-up errands to run before doing fun stuff like going to the grocery store."

Bella's reply was indignant. "That's not _fun!" _

"No, but going to the baby supply store to choose furniture for your brother's nursery is!"

She gave a dramatic gasp of excitement because she loves all things to do with babies, but two seconds later, she looked hesitant and turned back to Jessica.

"Mama, are you gonna be okay? It's a lot of walking, and your tummy is really super huge, like a hippopopamus."

I cringed slightly when Jessica's face fell, conveying her well-guarded insecurities about the size of her bump.

"I'm going to be fine, but that was really sweet of you to ask."

Satisfied, Bella occupied herself with looking for a pair of her shoes in the massive pile by the door. Meanwhile, Jessica stood a few feet away, massaging her bump. I set Keiko down in her bouncy seat and hurried over to Jessica.

"Yoshi, am I really so huge that I look like a _hippo?_"

"I—"

Shecut me off, getting teary-eyed. "I'm absolutely huge and I've never felt so awkward in my life because I was only _half _this size when I was pregnant with Bella, and she was ten days overdue!"

In the blink of an eye, she was in tears, thanks to her extra loopy pregnancy hormones.

"What if the baby comes late like she did? All I want is to hold him in my arms and give him kisses!"

Now she started crying harder, and I was flustered because Jessica is not really a crier, so when she _does _cry, I'm always a little unsure of what to do. Thinking quickly, I pulled her into my arms to give her a hug and backrub. For extra comfort, I made soothing noises until she quieted.

She didn't say anything afterwards because she didn't have to for me to know that she was feeling better. Instead, she wiped her tears and then gave me a smoldering kiss of reassurance right on the lips. My heart flipped over, just as it always does when she kisses me like that, but the moment was cut short when Keiko literally started crying for Jessica's attention at the same time that Bella asked for my help with getting her shoes on the right way because they were on backward. That kept us grounded in reality for awhile.

(But still, Jessica likes to know she has that kind of power over me when she kisses me. However, I can turn the tables on her just as easily, and now that she's pregnant, I often do)

Our day out passed by in a blur, but Bella was very patient and helpful with Keiko, but she was almost ready to hit a brick wall because she wanted some alone time with just her mother and myself for her homeschooling lessons. We gave her that attention after putting Keiko down for a nap.

Before I knew it, everybody had returned from school and doing homework at the dining room table while munching on snacks provided by Jessica. She and I were in the kitchen, where she was about to start the dishes and while I ended a call with mom and hung up the kitchen phone.

"Mom sends her love to everybody and extra thanks to us." I watched my girlfriend tie her long dreadlocks into a ponytail, and briefly wondered what our son's hair was going to look like. "She also says that she'll be home around seven, just in time for dinner."

Jessica just hummed a response, prompting me to approach her. "Are you okay?"

She replied in a tone that never fails to get me all hot and bothered. "I'm fine, but I want to talk to you about something."

"What would that be?"

She pulled my body flush against hers. "Kiyoshi, I want to marry you."

My heart rose into my throat and I actually began feeling slightly lightheaded as the weight of her words hit me.

Jessica has been married before and was left slightly traumatized as a result because it was awful. She's a divorcee now, but has always made it clear that she never wanted to be married again. I'm fine with that and I respect it, but she knows that I'd marry her in a heartbeat if she changed her mind… even if it was ten or fifteen years from now.

To hear this from her meant a huge step forward in who she is as a person, and it makes me deliriously happy.

"Come on—don't black out on me." Jessica gently squeezed my upper arms to keep me grounded. "Focus on the sound of my voice."

She kissed me seductively on the nape of my neck, which seemed to do the trick and I pulled her back to me since she'd backed up a little. I love the feel of her body against mine, especially her her baby bump when the baby wiggles around when he knows I'm in close proximity.

"You really can't keep your hands off me today, can you?"

"Of course not—you're my girl, and you're having my baby." (I know that Jessica has become a touchy-feely person because she hasn't had anybody to give her that kind of affection, even from a parental figure, since she was a little girl) "When did you decide that you want to marry me?"

"When I was in the hospital on the day I came back from being gone, and your mom came to visit me when I was getting settled in."

"Did she say something to you?"

"She told me all about how you stepped up to the plate, with taking care of Bella, homeschooling her and including her in activities with your family. Up until we met you, Bella hated men and was very scared and wary of them because she remembers how I was hurt, but then you came along and melted her heart, thus winning her complete adoration, love and approval."

"When did I win _your _heart?"

Jessica gave me a peck on the cheek. "By the end of our first meeting because the way I saw it, if Bella trusted you that much, I had to give you a chance, too. You had my heart, but you also had my love because I'd never felt so peaceful, especially after you left that bouquet of roses with that note attached. '_Dear whoever is reading this, you're beautiful and someone out there is crazy about you. So smile. Life is too short to be unhappy…' _Even though our first meeting was when I was in the hospital recovering from a blood transfusion of your blood because I almost died from blood loss that night, I still knew in my heart that you were it for me, that's when I knew you were my one-and-done. When did you know?"

"Oh, Jessie. That's when I knew, too."

I rested my hands at the hem of her shirt, but she didn't object when I slipped them underneath to feel her bare skin.

"When do you want to get married?" I asked her.

"Not soon because I don't want to take the spotlight away from Ashley and Alexis or Calvin and Melissa because between them we have newlyweds and a newly engaged couple."

"Plus, Alexis and Melissa are both pregnant."

"Exactly, but any time after that, I'm game." She looked at the new promise ring on her finger that I'd put there yesterday. "As far as rings go, do _not _get something ridiculously expensive because we aren't loaded like our friends are. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear."

"I also want you to surprise me because I've always thought that couples who pick the rings out together defeats the surprise aspect."

"I've always thought the same thing."

She smiled. "Other than that, you have one hundred percent free reign over proposing to me."

I nodded but almost blacked out again when she started feeling me up and then placed my hands underneath her shirt, on her skin, so I could do the same. I had to concentrate even harder when her hands travelled down to the top button of my jeans, and I knew she was extremely tempted to unbutton it.

"What are you thinking?" she purred.

"If we were alone, I would totally take you on the countertop right now."

"Then we'll celebrate later, but I'll go for more touching and kissing."

I was all too happy to fulfill her needs, but just as we shared a particularly passionate kiss, Jessica pulled away and winced, holding her belly with one hand, squeezing my fingers with surprising strength.

"It's a Braxton-Hicks contraction!" she gasped.

"Second time this week." I murmured, keeping my cool for her sake. "Lean against me and breathe; just like we practiced in Lamaze class yesterday."

She did, and the pain eventually passed.

…Only four more weeks, and we'll be in the delivery room…

"Okay, that's over, but what do we do now?" Jessica pulled away and straightened her shirt. "Get dinner started, or check on the kids' homework progress before cleaning up the house?"

"Both—I'll start dinner, and you can be in charge of the other things."

_Two-and-a-half hours later, Jessica's Point of View _

We did lots of cleaning, and the house was quite spick-and-span, but we got done so fast that I was able to oversee a mini baking session with the kids while Yoshi made dinner. By the end, we ended up making granola bars, oatmeal muffins, chocolate chip cookies for the younger kids, and because I knew Amaya's current pregnancy was making her crave fruit, we also made a small batch of one of her favorite recipes, fruit tartlets.

Amaya came home just as Yoshi was taking the desserts and two of the main dishes out of the oven, and Jeffery, Sophia, Tokutaro, Mitsunobu, Shinju, Nozomi and Bella immediately abandoned us for her, taking Keiko with them. I watched Yoshi take care of the soup, thankful that the special-made eyeglasses my parents had bought for me were helping my sight improve daily. Otherwise, I would have no idea what Yoshi looks like.

He definitely caught me looking at him.

"Are you checking me out, Jessie?" he teased as I sauntered over to him and interlocked our fingers together. "Do you see something you like?"

"Maybe, maybe not." I teased back. "You know another reason why I want to marry you?"

"Why?"

"Because according to Bella, you and I go together like the stars and the sky because they go on forever," I straightened his shirt collar where it had folded over. "And also because now I know that you and I do the domestic thing pretty well."

"We do." He agreed. "We really do."

I was pulled in for a kiss and I put a lot of strength into it because I have a tendency to always be the more dominating one, but we were soon met with a lot of giggles and a loud chorus of "Ewwww!" Naturally, we pulled apart and looked to the doorway to see all the other occupants of the house, and the younger kids were looking grossed out. Even Amaya was looking amused, especially as Yoshi flustered.

"Right." He cleared his throat nervously. "Who's ready for dinner?"

Lots of hands went up.

"Then go wash your hands, and help me set the table when you get back!"

They vacated the room in a stampede towards the bathroom by the front stairs, as the sink in the kitchen was filled to the brim with dirty dishes. I was left alone for a few minutes with Yoshi, Amaya and baby Keiko.

"The house looks amazing!" Amaya praised as she balanced Keiko on her hip. "Thank you so much for all of this, especially for making dinner! I've had a super long shift, and let me tell you, I'm going to be making full use of the next forty-eight hours by _sleeping _for most of them."

She sat down on a nearby chair and rubbed her small baby bump as she held Keiko close to her. Quite happy to be in her mother's arms after such a long time apart, we watched Keiko cuddle up against Amaya even more, burying her face in her neck, inhaling Amaya's trademark vanilla scent from the perfume she uses every day.

"Since I was at the hospital overnight observing a high-priority patient and because of my pregnancy, I was given the next two days off to recuperate."

"Yoshi has a day of work at Target tomorrow, but I'll be more than happy to help you out." I offered.

"You're very sweet, Jessica Rose, but you're almost ready to pop even though you have four more weeks to go. You should also be sitting down right now so you can take a load off."

The older woman flicked her gaze from me to the chair next to her and back again. I got the message right away and sat down.

"But even though you still have four more weeks, he's still coming early because he's a little big, and I may not be monitoring your case, but I know your medical history well enough to know why you're having a c-section…"

I said nothing and placed my hands on my belly, tracking my son's movements as he turned over and stretched out.

We all have things we don't talk about, and for Yoshi and me, it's that if I got pregnant and delivered the natural way, that would be tricky because due to my health issues, the endgame being that the baby and I would both be at risk for a range of complications, including death, thus leaving a cesarean section as my only safe choice for delivery. The child growing in my womb was thought of at one point, although not exactly planned, so between my legal blindness, Yoshi's color blindness and his autism, those health risks are things we're willing to deal with if we have to.

But… this is what happens when people like us who are labeled as 'disabled,' 'handicapped,' and 'special' want to have kids and spend the rest of their lives together. We walk a hard path.

(There's one thing that we definitely agreed on, though: this baby will be our last…)

"I understand completely."

"That isn't to say that I don't appreciate your help or that I don't like having you with here because I do," Amaya backpedaled after a second. "But right now, I'm speaking as a mama because you're carrying my oldest son's baby."

"And you're saying that you want me to relax, huh?"

"Bingo." She smiled and patted my hand. "If you're feeling up to it, I'm going to treat you to a girl's day out tomorrow."

"That sounds like a great plan to me!"

We got back to buisness at that point because the kids came back in, asking what was for dinner. The dishes were all things that Amaya loves: Grilled teriyaki salmon, garlic cheddar baked potatoes and cream of broccoli soup. The food was all very delicious, and even the younger kids were impresssed that Yoshi made it all by himself.

Later, when Yoshi and I had retired to our bedroom out in the carriage house for the night, he surprised me with a present, setting it on top of my bump, which was big enough to serve as a table.

"What's this?"

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, but I'll say that I found it at work the other day."

It turned out to be a fuzzy teddy bear, chocolate brown in color.

"Do you think Baby Boy will like it?"

"Let's find out."

He placed the toy on top of my belly, where it looked like it was moving all by itself because of the baby's movements directly underneath. About two seconds later, I winced as he gave me a good solid kick with both feet and the teddy bear went flying into the air, landing at the other end of the bed.

Yoshi and I were both so amused that we just burst into laugher.

We laughed long and loud, but it was worth it.


	17. Sisters Reconciling

**This one is for Writer200 :)**

_May 22, Two days later _

_Hilton Hotel, Midtown Manhattan _

_Melissa's Point of View _

I've been at the Shaw house for a week now, and it's been a welcome change from the atmosphere at Madison's house because I feel so much more relaxed. However, I haven't forgotten why I left her house in tears, and neither has she.

That's why she rented a room for an hour here at the Hilton, so she and I can sit down and talk it out like adults. (Emily was going to come, but she got called into work at the last minute) The only reason that Calvin is coming is the same reason Madison brought Nicolas—to be a buffer in case things get ugly.

"For the record," Calvin told me as I exited the women's restroom in the lobby. "I think that Madison is nuts for wanting to talk about this _today, _when she could go into labor at any moment!"

"I also think she's nuts," I agreed as we headed across the vast lobby towards the hallway where the door to Madison's room was located. "But that's the Queller stubbornness you're going to have to learn to deal with when we get married. Everybody except for my mum has been like that, including my brother Kingston."

"When _am _I going to meet Kingston? The dude can't hide in Chicago forever…"

"He can if he's been sorting out a custody situation with his ex-fiancée, Ivy Howard."

Calvin was very intrigued about my brother, seeing as we don't talk about him often. My parents considered him the family black sheep, and left him to his own devices. He's not unwelcome, but he's lying low while he sorts out the drama with Ivy.

"They had a baby?"

"Yeah; it was a girl. I have a three-year-old niece, and I don't even know her name or what she looks like! Is that depressing, or what?"

(The last time I saw Kingston was at our parents' funeral, and that was when the drama with Ivy was just beginning, but he promised Emily, Madison and I that he'd come to Manhattan to stay the second he had everything sorted out)

"It's pretty sad," he agreed. "And maybe we'll go visit Kingston and his daughter in Chicago, but let's put it aside for now because we're here."

I put my gameface on while he knocked on the door, which was opened by Nicolas about ten seconds later. He greeted us and showed us in and I was not surprised to see that they had rented a room that the higher-up residents of Manhattan, like the two of them, would use because it came with a living room, a kitchenette and two separate bedrooms that looked pretty spacious. ESPN was playing on TV.

"Where's Madison?" I looked around. "Is she outside?"

"She's waiting for you right through there, Melissa," my brother-in-law pointed to a door on his left before turning to my fiancé. "And Calvin—you and I can sit out here, have a beer and catch the sports highlights while we have a guy-to-guy chat."

Calvin raised his eyebrows at the wording, but nevertheless went with him while I went to the room that Nicolas had indicated and found Madison sitting at a table in a patio area. A china teapot, a set of matching mugs and a tray of cookies had been artfully arranged on the tabletop for a nice homey look.

"Hey, baby sister." She chirped when she saw me coming. "Look—there's rooibos tea, just like how mom used to have."

I smiled as I sat across from her. "Nice to see you bringing a touch of the Motherland every now and again."

"Which Motherland?" she joked, pouring tea into the cups and holding one out to me. "Missy, our family claims Ireland, Australia _and _South Africa as our Motherlands!"

I accepted the tea and took a sip. "Seeing as the only decent rooibos tea that I've ever had—next to this brew—was at Great-Granddad and Great-Grandmumsy Thompson's villa in Cape Town, I'd have to say I mean South Africa in this case."

I ran a hand over my belly as I felt the baby almost swimming around like a goldfish.

"I think the baby likes it, too, but that's to be expected because didn't mum tell us once that she craved rooibos during all of her pregnancies?"

She nodded, holding her cup and saucer on her massive belly. "The woman practically lived on it when she was pregnant with you. You've inherited the craving."

I munched on a cookie as I thought of the wonderful memories I have associated with rooibos tea, specifically long afternoon talks with mum, and the family vacations back to Cape Town, but I snapped out of my reverie when Madison grimaced in pain as she set her teacup down.

"What's wrong?" I started to get up. "Is it a contraction?"

"Just a little Braxton-Hicks one," she corrected. "And sit back down, Melissa Paisley. We have a lot to talk about because things didn't end on a good note the last time we saw each other."

Taking note of my sister's sharp tone, I took my seat and refrained from mentioning how Emily wasn't with us.

"That's kind of an understatement, but do continue."

"Emily and I reacted the way we did because we were concerned about you, like parents."

"Except you two are my sisters. I appreciate how you two have been looking after me since the night of the attack, but you two _aren't _mum and dad, okay? If they were here, they wouldn't have jumped down my throat."

Madison stewed for a few moments before speaking. "Melissa Paisley Queller, look at me and listen: a few _weeks _before everything went down in Central Park, mom and dad took Emily and I out to lunch."

"Where the hell was _I?" _

"At the library, or something."She gave a hiss of pain and I wasn't sure if it was a contraction or something else, but I didn't say anything because she'd throw something at me if I tried to help. "Anyway, they made us _promise _to look after you if anything ever happened to them. They wouldn't even tell us where it was coming from."

I was taken aback. "They didn't?"

"Nope. They made us promise, and they wouldn't move on until we did."

"But you promised mum and dad that you would look after me?"

She nodded. "And because I'm the oldest Queller sibling left in town, I decided to take you under my wing."

"It's why you came into my hospital room when I was in the middle of my freak-out episode." I realized. "It's also why you had me sent to the psych ward, huh?"

"Exactly. Melissa, you were so angry and violent that I thought it would do you some good."

"It did," I admitted. "But it still didn't mean that you and Emily had to jump down my throat when I told you two about the baby! Would Kingston have done the same?"

Madison rolled her eyes. "No. He'd probably give us a severe talking to before taking you out to dinner to cheer you up."

"Why does he have to be in Chicago?" I muttered. "Kingston needs to get himself together because I need my big brother in my life. I miss him."

"You're not the only one, but let's get back to the topic at hand—"

"The one where you and Emily started hating on me for getting pregnant and making these kinds of choices at this point in my life?" I interrupted. "It was totally uncalled for! I may be only twenty and have more money than I really know what to do with, but it did _not _mean for you two to go overboard! I understand that it was about protecting me, but First Timothy Four Twelve says—"

"Do not quote the Bible at me!"

(We used to be churchgoers, but the reason why we aren't anymore is another story for another time. Between my siblings and me, I'm the only one who hasn't turned their backs on their faith or their Bible)

"First Timothy Four Twelve says 'Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity!' I know you know those words!" (She looked upset that I carried on, but it was worth it) "Calvin and I may not have waited until we were married to have sex with each other for the first time, but I need you and Emily and Kingston to set those examples for me, but it doesn't mean that any of you have to get righteous because you're my older siblings. Calvin has Jordan and Rafferty, but none of us Queller siblings have any parents left at all, so you and Emily and Kingston are _all I have left _in the family to look up to like that! If you or either of them jump down my throat like that again, then so help me God, I'll be _gone _because all of the that therapy and all of those trust exercises will have been for nothing!"

Madison stewed over my words again, only because she didn't have an immediate comeback, and we at the table in mutual silence. My thoughts drifted, that's for sure, so I totally lost track of time, but I was brought back to reality when I saw my sister slightly hunched over in pain, and I hurried over to her side right away.

"How long have you been having contractions?" I asked in complete seriousness. "Braxton-Hicks contractions count, too!"

"Since way early this morning."

"_What? _Maddie, why didn't you tell Nicolas or Juliana? _She's _doing the delivery! I can't believe this!"

"Who's being the mama now?" she griped. "I didn't say anything because I wanted to get my point across and say sorry."

"Look how well that's gone…"

(She hasn't technically said sorry yet)

"Quit being a baby and go get the guys!"

I went and collected them, and they were on their feet the second they saw my panicked look. When we got back to Madison and assessed her condition, we decided that she needed to get to the hospital right away, and as a result, Nicolas called the front desk to explain the situation, and they responded by calling for an ambulance.

By the time it arrived, the labor had already progressed quickly—something about road construction messing things up—so Calvin took Nicolas' car keys to drive the Álvarez family SUV to the hospital to meet them there, and I started to go with him, but Madison stopped me.

"Melissa, wait!"

"Yes?"

"Come with us, okay? Nicolas and I want you to be in the delivery room."

I was deeply touched by the gesture and accompanied them to the hospital. Part of Madison's birth plan was to include Emily because she was ready and waiting for us, but Juliana—who was definitely rocking a baby bump now—already had everything set up in the delivery room and had a team of nurses on standby, waiting for her orders.

Madison and the babies checked out fine, except for the elevated pressure Madison had gained during our talk in the hotel room. Juliana wasn't happy about it, especially because it made Madison's contractions go faster than they should have been, and she almost freaked out when Juliana told her there wasn't going to be time for a c-section, like she'd originally planned. This was going to be a push birth.

I'd heard through the grapevine that Kate had found herself in a similar situation this past December when she'd delivered her twins, Jeremiah and Johanna, so I just did my best to support my sister, all while willing myself not to faint when she started pushing.

Technically, this was my second time seeing Madison in labor because I was literally right behind her when she was having Lucy, but what made that experience way different from this one was that _I _am going to be the one giving birth in eight months or so.

"OI, MELISSA!"

I jumped out of my skin when Emily called my name above the din of Madison's yells of pain as she sat in the birthing chair.

"What?"

"Come here."

She jerked her head towards the back area where she was fixed at the newborn station at the back of the room with the nurses. I hurried over.

"Maddie and Nicolas told me awhile ago that they want you to be the one to hold the babies right now, so here you go."

I suddenly realized she was depositing a wiggling purple bundle into my arms, and inside was a newborn baby girl. Upon instinct, I started to sooth and rock her as I spoke to Emily.

"Who's this precious little one?"

"Her full name is Estella Raquel Melissa Álvarez."

My knees buckled in surprise, but I managed to stay upright. "She was named for Nicolas' mum, but also for one of Maddie's triplets, and… _me?" _

"Yep. Our new niece is in a league of extraordinary women already, and I'm sure that the older Estella is going to be just tickled to find out she has a namesake—"

Emily was cut off when Juliana called out to her. "Emily, I really need your help with this one!"

She hurried over to help, and I let a nurse show me over to a rocking chair next to the corner window overlooking the street outside.

"Hi, Estella." I cooed in quiet tones to my new niece. "I'm your Tía Melissa, and I'm going to have so much fun spoiling you and your triplets like there's no tomorrow. There's also your older siblings—Ezekiel, Moses and Lucy, and I'm sure they're going to be in orbit when they meet you and the others."

Estella quieted at the sound of my voice and even snuggled close to me because she wanted to feel my heartbeat. My breath caught as I had another flash-forward to eight months from now when I would be holding my own newborn baby for the first time.

"Melissa, are you up for holding two babies at once?"

I looked up to see Emily holding the second baby, this one wrapped up in an emerald green baby blanket that I recognized as one of Amaya's homemade ones that she makes herself.

(The blanket that Estella was wrapped up in was also one of Amaya's creations)

"Yes!"

"Okay, here."

She eased the baby into my arms, whereupon it immediately sensed Estella's presence and moved closer to her.

"Now hold on a second."

My sister found a nursing pillow from a nearby closet and propped under my arms, allowing me to hold both babies with more ease.

"Who is _this _tiny love?" I wanted to know.

"You'll like this one—she's named for Auntie Adelaide."

"As in mum's older sister?"

"The one and only."

(Now I really wish that my aunt hadn't passed away so early because she loved all of us dearly, but also because she would have been thrilled to pieces to have a great-niece named after her)

"What are Adelaide's middle names?"

"Lily Gabriella."

I raised my eyebrows in amusement. "So our other niece's full name is Adelaide _Lily Gabriella _Álvarez? I know two little girls who are going to just love that."

Emily smiled as she ran a fingertip over Adelaide's cheek. "Maddie called me yesterday, just to talk, and she said that Ezekiel and Moses insisted on helping with the naming process. They even picked out stuffed animals, I heard."

"With the exception of those two, all of the Álvarez children have been named for different family members."

"The way the boys tell it, Lily and Gabriella _will _be part of the family one day."

A new voice joined the conversation. "Are you two ready to meet your new nephew?"

We looked up to see Juliana standing in front of us with the third triplet, who was wrapped in a blue blanket, yet another one of Amaya's homemade blankets.

"Of course!"

Our answer was in unison, so Juliana put this baby into my arms with the other two, and just like Adelaide had with Estella, their brother realized they were there and snuggled close to them, no doubt so they could be huddled together just like they had been in the womb a short while ago.

"According to his parents," Juliana informed us. "This little guy is called Elijah Santiago Nicolas Álvarez."

My breath caught in my throat again. "They named him after dad…"

I was extra careful to not drop any of the babies, but I became so overwhelmed by emotion that I turned to the three of them to give them while Madison delivered the afterbirth and Nicolas left to update the rest of the family who had no doubt gathered in the waiting room by now. Juliana and the nurses left a few minutes later, meaning it was just me, my sisters and the babies. Emily helped me put the babies in Madison's arms and we watched her for a few moments as she kissed each of their noses and cried over them.

Honestly, I was a bit surprised that Madison had enough energy to talk to us, having just given birth to three healthy triplets without drugs or surgery, but she did.

"Missy, I'm so glad that you could be here for this. Thank you."

I placed a sisterly kiss on her cheek. "I'm very honored that you wanted me here, and you're quite welcome."

"Does this mean that we're good about the fight?" Emily squeaked nervously. "I'm ready for it to be done, and I'm so sorry for all the things I said and did that day, and I'm _really _sorry that I couldn't make it to the hotel, but work is work, you know?"

I just nodded, not wanting to point out the fact that I'm a professional photographer and she's a popular midwife, leaving room for a huge number of differences in job demand when it comes to our careers. Madison realized I was biting my tongue and spoke again, in an exhausted tone this time.

"I'd say so, Emily, and I'm also very sorry. We really talked it out at the hotel and she knows why we acted the way we did when she told us about the baby. I'd say that you two being here to witness the births of my babies would make it square. I'm also ready for it to be done, but only if Melissa is able to forgive us."

They looked at me expectantly.

"I do." (They both breathed huge sighs of relief) "I forgive you both."

Right at that moment, the door to the room opened to reveal Nicolas coming back in with Ezekiel, Moses and Lucy. Feeling extra tired all of a sudden and not wanting to intrude on their special family moment, I went out to the corridor and removed my scrubs to reveal the street clothes I had on underneath. I then left to find Calvin, eventually locating him just outside the waiting room, where he greeted me with a kiss on the lips.

"Hi, beautiful. How are you feeling?"

"Really tired, Calvin, although Maddie could probably sleep for a week right now. I just want to go home and have a lie down, maybe watch a few Star Trek episodes…"

"_The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager _or _Enterprise, _even though that one is just useless?"

"The Next Generation, duh." I kissed him back. "It's the only real way to go because where else do you have a starship captain who is quite literally taken over by his archenemy?"

Calvin's response was almost a whine. "Melissa, you _know _that almost anything to do with Captain Picard being assimilated by the Borg really creeps me out!"

"Well, it's either that, _Cabin In The Woods, _the original _Scream_ because numbers two through five are stupid, or even _The Last House On the Left._ I think I also have the whole series of _I Know What You Did Last Summer._ I haven't watched those in awhile..."

Calvin shuddered. He really can't stand scary movies, and his parents and I tease him about it because those kinds of movies don't faze us. Poor Calvin can barely handle _The X-Files, _or any of its movie spin-offs.

"I think that Star Trek will do just fine."

_Forty-five minutes later_

_Shaw house, Astoria _

Just as we got tucked into bed with our program playing on Calvin's forty-six inch TV and our snacks on the bedside table, the day's events hit me in full force and I began to cry.

"What's the matter?" Calvin put the remote down and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Why the tears?"

My words came haltingly and I held his hand over my baby bump, just so I could feel him close to me. "I-I witnessed the miracle of life today, and all I could think about, especially when I held Estella, Adelaide and Elijah, was how it's going to be _us _in the delivery room eight months from now, and I'm already really nervous about meeting this tiny human that we created! Are _you _nervous?"

"Absolutely, one hundred percent," he reached over and wiped my tears with his free hand. "But for now, let's just focus on watching our program, huh?"

I nodded and snuggled against him, looking to the screen to see the Starship Enterprise traveling through space, ready for one of the biggest adventures its crew would ever have.

To me, it was all that mattered for the time being.

We could worry about everything else tomorrow.


	18. Striking Back From the Grave

**Note to Stanatic 13: I've seen every last one of your suggestions and whatnot, and I've taken them into consideration. You'll know when they happen ;)**

_May 29, One week later _

_Castle loft, Alexis' Point of View _

Gram's family has always been a taboo subject.

It's not like comes from a bad family because she doesn't; in fact, she hails from the Churchills of Irving Place, one of the oldest and richest families in the whole city. Her parents were aristocrats, meaning she had a childhood that was more privileged than mine.

I don't know much about the Churchills, while Kate knows nothing because she's never had a chance to meet any of them, and dad just says that some things are best kept under the rug. Most of what I know about Gram's parents—and at least one of her sisters—I learned when she was tipsy because if you catch her in that state, she'll say almost anything.

For starters, Martha isn't even Gram's real name; it's her middle name. Gram's full birth name is Katherine Martha Churchill, but she changed it when she ran away from home when she was eighteen. Her parents had become too controlling for her liking, so she left and never went back.

Gram's parents were Alistair and Monét Churchill, one the president and founder of a textile empire, the other an heiress to a _vast _fortune. They both passed away years before I was born, but from what I've gathered, I'm not missing much.

There's also Gram's two older sisters, Serenity and Constance, both of whom I haven't seen in ages. I mean, Serenity is around, but she's more of a free spirit than Gram is because she's been travelling the world for the last twenty-one, almost twenty-two years. Constance is a local courthouse judge, but I've only met her once, and it didn't go well. It's been my opinion since that Great-Aunt Constance is a stuffy old bat, and both of her sisters have assured me that that's an accurate description.

However, today marks a major change in the way that our family operates because Constance has finally decided that at age seventy-two, she's done with seeing the world and is coming back to Manhattan to stay. They're going to be roommates together at Gram's apartment in Tribeca.

Both Gram and Serenity—the latter of whom dislikes called 'Great Aunt' because it makes her feel extra old—are at the loft right now, visiting because they both wanted to come straight here from the airport. Dad is thrilled because from what I know, Serenity has a special place in his heart because she has a central role in most of his childhood memories.

Mom, Ashley, Tobias, Jameson, and even baby Jeremiah and baby Johanna are excited to meet Serenity because they've either never had a chance, or it's just the excitement of a brand new person to meet.

The only people who have remained apprehensive of our great-aunt's arrival are Lily Joy and me.

After our last encounter with our biological mother, we both went to therapy because of how horrible she was to us, abandoning LJ with no remorse and then slapping me across the cheek. Thanks to that particular encounter, we've both had a hard time trusting the women in our lives… although that's more of a problem for LJ.

_My _problem is that Serenity hasn't been a permanent fixture in my life because she's been gone for so long. Sure, she came to visit every few years and has _always _made sure to send us all awesome packages for our birthdays and Christmases, but the last time I actually saw her in person was a month before we met Kate.

A lot has happened in my life since then.

"I don't bite, you know."

LJ and I looked from our end of the couch to the other end where Serenity had paused in doling out packages full of different knick-knacks that she had collected for everybody during her travels. I know Serenity already, but one of the main reasons that LJ is keeping her at arm's length is because she almost looks like Gram's twin, minus her taller height and bright green eyes. Also, my great-aunt's beautiful shoulder-length hair is graying, but you can definitely tell she's a natural blond.

"Then why haven't come before?" LJ grumbled. "I've been here since I was _three." _

Serenity gave a sincere apology. "I'm very sorry, angel. I really, _really _wanted to come see you, but I was in Chile, taking care of sick children in an orphanage. Do you know where Chile is?"

LJ nodded vigorously because she wants to go there one day with the Álvarez boys. "Yep! Chile is right next door to Argentina in South America!"

"Very good! How did you know?"

LJ blushed. "My bestest friend Zeke's daddy is from there."

Tickled, Serenity smiled at her. "When I was in Chile, taking care of the children, I was without enough money for a plane ticket for a few years."

"But you would've come if you could?"

"Straight away."

LJ bought this, put kept her poker face on. "Did you ever go to Buenos Aires?"

"I was _in _Buenos Aires right before I moved here."

"What about Tokyo? Mama's stepmama's parents are from there."

"I actually lived in Buenos Aires for the last seven years, but I lived in Tokyo for three years before that."

"Will you please take me with you next time you go to those places?"

"If your parents give the okay, then I'd love to have you!"

LJ gave an excited squeal, clapping her hands. Indulging in my sister's excitement, Serenity held up a large bulging colorful knapsack and extended it to LJ. A traditional Argentine doll was even tucked into the side pocket.

"This bag here is filled with lots of clothes and toys from Argentina that I picked out just for you! Do you want to take a look?"

LJ was immediately won over and hurried closer to investigate. Serenity gave her the knapsack and then moved closer to me.

"Alexis, what will it take for you to stop being so surly?"

"Don't take off again, please. The last person who left our family was our bio mom… It didn't end well the very last time I saw her, and look what happened…"

"Yes, I heard about that, but I promise that you're stuck with me from now on."

I smiled, feeling better, and the kind look on my great-aunt's face told me that she knew.

"Alexis, dear, including your charming husband, everybody has opened their packages… except you."

She retrieved the last two and put them in my lap, which was ever-so-slowly vanishing thanks to my four-month belly, and I investigated them.

"Thanks, but you gave me two…"

"I can't leave your baby out, can I? That just wouldn't be right. The green knapsack and everything in it is for him or her to keep and enjoy."

Deeply touched, I hugged my great-aunt and opened the baby's knapsack first. It was full of nice things, but I paused midway through because the doorman downstairs paged me over the intercom saying that a letter had arrived for me via mail courier, and I had to sign for it. Happy to stretch my feet because the baby gets fidgety when I stay still for too long, I left the apartment and took the short flight of stairs down to the first floor lobby.

Spotting the courier, I went over to him and signed for the delivery, which turned out to be a big manila business envelope. What was even more surprising was to see the name in the return address corner—Arjan Van Giersberg, a local politician. Everything on the front of the envelope was handwritten, meaning that it was more than likely from the man himself. I suddenly felt worried.

Why would he be writing me?

Arjan Van Giersberg is the Mayor's Chief of Staff!

What does he want with me?

How does he even _know _me?

How did he get my address?

The letter is even addressed to me using my full name—Alexis Katherine Kerrigan.

How the hell would Mister Van Giersberg even _know? _

Please, God, don't let this be part of the war with the Dragon.

I want no part in that anymore…

"Alexis, are you okay?"

Startled, I looked up and realized that I had been in autopilot and had gone back up to the loft without realizing it, and now most of my family was looking at me with concern.

Ashley was actually standing in front of me, his hands on the side of my belly because he wanted to be as close to the baby and me as possible. I had eyes only for him.

"Ashley, I don't even know."

Taking him by the hand, I led him to the study and sat down on the couch as he closed the door behind him and then joined me.

"Is this about the letter you just went to get?" he asked as I immediately leaned against him for a snuggle. "You seem awfully spooked."

"The return address is from the Saint Brigid hospital."

"Okay, that's weird. We know a handful of their best doctors personally, so why would you get a letter when they could just call?"

"I think that's because it's a handwritten letter from Arjan Van Giersberg."

"The Mayor's Chief of Staff? It's no secret that the man was admitted to the hospital because he has Emphysema, and that's really sad, but I didn't vote for him in the last election. Did you?"

"Nope, and even with all of dad's connections in the mayor's office, I think I'd remember meeting him because he's been there for years, and most of the long-term staff know me by name."

"What if you met him and just forgot?"

I shrugged. "But in the long run, I'm worried. I mean, look! He wrote my full name—Alexis Katherine Kerrigan! The guy is a stranger to me, _and _he's a local politician, so why would he be writing to me?"

My husband made soothing noises as he slipped a hand under the hem of my shirt and started rubbing small comforting circles on my belly. "The only way to find out is to see what's inside the envelope, right? Why don't you open it and give me the first thing inside? I'll read it to you."

I agreed and opened the envelope and extracted what looked like a handwritten letter and handed it to my husband. He began to read as I snuggled up against him.

_"'__Dear Alexis, _

_I'm sure this must seem very strange to be getting a handwritten letter from someone in the mayor's office, and believe me, the feeling's mutual because as you may or may not know, I've been admitted to the hospital because I have Emphysema, disease that causes shortness of breath. (Writing is my best form of communication these days) What most people don't know is that the doctors have now given me a window of time that I have left: a week or less. _

_There are some things I need to tell you about so I can die with a clean conscience. It's not going to be easy, and words aren't enough to say how sorry I am for twenty-one years of silence. _

_Your mother, Meredith Adams, was the love of my life when she was alive, and even though she's gone now, I still love her because of reasons you'll find out eventually. _

_I met her at a social function that our families were attending during a summer vacation at our house in the Hamptons. We were at someone's beach house, and we were bored, so I introduced myself to her. We got to talking, and it was love at first sight for both of us. She was quite delighted when I told her that I was going to be starting at Columbia University in the autumn because she would be going, too. _

_I had just turned eighteen at the time, but she had just turned nineteen because it was a well-kept secret that Meredith was actually a year older than most people knew. She repeated third grade due to a bout of pneumonia. _

_We became a couple on the day we met in August of nineteen ninety-two, but it only lasted until that November because that's when Richard Castle entered the picture. Meredith was positively star struck and did everything she could to meet him, including reading his books. I could tell I was losing her to him, so in a last-ditch effort, I wooed her one night, one thing led to another… and she got pregnant with you._

_What I'm trying to say is that I'm your biological father…'" _

Ashley stopped reading at this point because I had pulled away from him and was trying not to scream even though this was absolutely soul-shattering news and I was growing horrified and cold at the same time. All of that aside, I had to hear the rest.

"Keep reading."

"Alexis—"

_"__Keep reading." _

He did.

_"'__Meredith was gone the next morning, breaking up with me through a note. The next time I saw her, she was with Richard Castle, and they were the new It Couple. _

_Your mother came to me two months later, at the end of March, telling me that you were on the way, but she honestly didn't know who the father was because she explained to me that she met and seduced him the day after our break-up, and… well, you get the picture… _

_Meredith wasn't able to confirm paternity until after your birthday dinner in Palm Court because she used your drinking glass. The other component of the test was a toothbrush of mine that I willingly donated after she told me what she was going to do. We always thought that I was your father, but didn't talk much about it. This was our first chance to find out. _

_I've only kept the secret because Meredith asked me to, but now that she's dead and I'm about to die, I need to get it off my chest. I wanted to tell you before, but your mother would have tanned my hide if I did. Meredith had her life with you and Richard, and I respected that. I got on with my own life and focused on my political career. _

_You're probably freaking out right now and saying that I'm lying, but I assure you that I'm not. Meredith gave me all of the proof, which I've included with this letter so you can see for yourself. _

_One last thing, Alexis—we've met before, but it was just once when you were little. It was the ski trip at Aspen when you were eight, and you broke your leg after wiping out on a bunny slope. At that point, Meredith and I were in a relationship again, so I was tagging along as her boyfriend. There's a picture of the three of us together that someone in the ski lodge after we brought you back there from the hospital, and the three of us are by the fireplace drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows. (Do you remember the obscenely bright pink gauze you chose for your cast color?) Richard got on the first flight he could to be with you and Meredith, so I left when he arrived because I didn't want to intrude. As for that picture, I kept it as a thought of what could have been. _

_I know it's more than a little selfish to ask you to come see me after everything I've just told you, but I'm a dying man and that's my wish. I'll understand if you don't come, and if that's the case, just come to my funeral. _

_Hoping to see you soon, _

_Arjan Marnix Van Giersberg.' _

Ashley spoke with caution. "Say something, babe. It's okay to cry or freak out."

There was only a beat of silence before I flew off the handle. "WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH BOTH OF THEM? HOW COULD THEY KEEP SOMETHING LIKE THIS QUIET FOR SO LONG? OUT OF EVERYTHING MY BIO-MOTHER EVER DID, WHY WOULD SHE PULL SOME STUNT LIKE THIS AND NOT EVEN TELL ME WHEN SHE HAD THE CHANCE? ALL OF THIS MEANS THAT SHE WAS ACTUALLY TELLING THE TRUTH LAST YEAR WHEN SHE JUST THREW IT OUT THERE AS A HINT! I HATE BOTH OF THEM BECAUSE OF ALL THEIR SELFISHNESS, AND PRETTY SOON, I'LL BE AN ORPHAN! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN MY LIFE?"

I fell back against Ashley and began to sob. He did his best to comfort me, but we weren't alone for long because the door to the study suddenly banged open with my parents, Gram and Serenity all coming in.

"What in the world is going on?" demanded mom, hands on her hips. "Your dad and I just put Jameson and the twins down for their naps, and then we came back to find everyone else all staring at the study door because we can hear your muffled voice _yelling! _What possessed you to yell like that? It can't be good for the baby!"

She was right about that because the baby was definitely squirming around unhappily in my womb in reaction to my sudden angry outburst. I took a few calming breaths to center myself and then started to massage my bump before speaking.

"Do you remember in October after the last time I saw my bio-mother and she hinted that my paternity might not be what everyone thinks?"

"Yes, of course I remember that! You were devastated at the idea, and so was your dad…"

We all looked over at the man in question, and I started crying more because I could see he was feeling just as shattered as I was, and I hadn't even said anything yet. The only other time I'd seen him this upset was the day we found out about my bio-mother's murder.

"She was right?"

I nodded sadly and showed him the envelope. "This letter here explains it, and you're going to hate who it's from—Arjan Van Giersberg, an old friend of Meredith's. It's him…"

My heart fell to pieces when all he could manage was to sit at his desk, put his head down and start crying quietly. He obviously wasn't about to say anything—or get angry about it in front of me—and mom, Ashley and Gram were also at a loss for words, but Serenity wasn't.

"Alexis, dear, I swear—if that woman wasn't already dead, I'd hunt her down myself, right this very second. She's really striking back from the grave now."

In spite of my self, I couldn't keep from smiling, so I got up and hugged her. Serenity returned the hug, but I moved away when I heard a sniffling voice, accompanied by someone speaking in a pitifully sad tone.

"D-daddy isn't Lexie's daddy?"

We all looked over to the open doorway to see LJ standing there in tears. None of had noticed her before, and she had apparently heard everything so far.

"Is he _my _daddy?"

Before we could answer her, she vomited spectacularly all over the floor, purely out of nerves. Horrified, she broke down into sobs as she apologized. To keep from also puking, I gathered the envelope and letter up and left the room, skirting around the puddle of sick just as LJ vomited again. Standing by the front door, I put my shoes on and tucked all of my necessities—the letter and envelope from the hospital included—into my purse before Ashley caught up with me, Tobias on his hip.

"Alexis, where are you going?" Ashley asked.

"Anywhere! I just can't stay _here." _

"Then let me come with you, okay?"

"No!"

"And why not? I'm your husband, you're my wife, you're distraught, _and _you're carrying my baby!" he touched a hand to my belly. "Let me be concerned!"

"I _am _letting you be concerned, Ash, but you saw what just happened!" I pushed his hand away. "I need the space! You know where you came from because you have two birth parents who never lied to you about anything, but everything _I've _ever known has been a _lie!" _

He didn't know how to respond, so Tobias decided to talk.

"Mama, you sad eyes. No like…"

"The world can be a sad place."

He tilted his head to the side, curious. "Mama go bye-bye now?"

"Yes."

"Come wif, p'ease?"

Ashley and I exchanged glances with each other, not entirely surprised he wanted to go with me because he gets really overprotective if he ever sees me upset.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded and then looked at Ashley. "Get wagon? P'ease?"

"Sure thing. Let's go get you ready."

My family and I were gone from the loft in less than five minutes and in the front lobby in less than ten.

"Alexis, do you know where you're going to go?"

I shook my head. "But I'll text you or something when I get there to let you know that we're all okay."

"I don't want you driving, though."

"I agree; I don't trust myself driving right now."

"Excuse me, Miss Alexis!" (A new person joined the conversation at this point. It was the doorman) "I couldn't help but see that you're distressed and in need of transportation. Would you like for me to call your family's chauffeur?"

"Yes, that would be great!" I smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks!"

He returned the smile and got to business, making the call. I leaned against a nearby column and rested a hand against my belly, and I could feel the baby moving around inside. If this was happening a few weeks from now, I would be able to feel kicks or see feet move against the fabric of my shirt.

"Is the baby moving around?"

"Yeah, she is. I can't wait to feel our daughter's kicks from the outside, though…"

"We don't know the gender yet," Ashley responded, raising his eyebrows. "But at least we'll be finding out this week."

"I hear you, but a certain someone has been wishing on stars for a sister."

We both looked at our son in his wagon and watched him 'read aloud' to himself from one of his board books, completely oblivious to us. What would he really be like with a sister if I actually had a girl?

An SVU pulled up to the curb outside the building a few minutes later, and Beau, the driver, put Tobias' things in the trunk while Ashley helped us get settled in before shutting the door for me. When we got underway, an address finally came to mind and I gave it to Beau.

Fifteen minutes later, we had arrived at the front of a quaint two-story brick building in an upscale Park Avenue building. The place is called The Busker's Holiday, and it's a bakery pub belonging to Krista's mother.

When we got out to the sidewalk and I saw to it that Tobias was comfortable in his wagon, I told Beau that I'd call him to come get us when I was ready to go. He drove away; and then I sent Ashley a quick text before walking up to the front door of the establishment, pulling the wagon behind me. An exiting customer saw us coming and held the door open, allowing us entry.

The place wasn't crowded, and it was free seating, so I sat at the table at the end of the row, where there was a big enough space for me to park the wagon.

Not two minutes later, a statuesque woman with fair skin, a kind face, long blond hair done up in a bun and bright blue eyes walked up to our table. She was wearing a purple t-shirt, jeans and sneakers, and a logo on the front of her shirt was obscured by a black work apron. She didn't look older than her mid-sixties at the most, and she spoke with an Irish accent.

"You must be Alexis Kerrigan."

I was taken aback. "Yeah, but how did you know? Did you see the wedding announcement in the paper?"

"I did, yes. Congratulations on that." The older woman's eyes twinkled. "My name is Shayna Riley, and I'm Krista's mother. She tells me about her adventures with your family and the others. She also said to keep an eye out for any of you, just in case."

"It's been that kind of d—"

Tobias interrupted, patting his stomach. "When food time?"

Shayna crouched down in front of him. "It's time for food right now. Do you like macaroni and cheese?"

"Lotsa lots! What you name?"

"Shayna Riley."

He blew her a kiss. "Tank you, Sayna Wiley!"

"You're very welcome, little guy."

She stood back up and looked at me. "If you're also hungry, I have a lasagna dish jam packed with veggies that are great for you… given your condition."

I blushed, surprised that my bump was that noticeable, but I accepted her offer and thanked her. Shayna disappeared to the back for a few minutes to place our orders to the cook, and then returned with a glass of ice water for me and a specially-designed kid cup of orange juice for Tobias. I thanked Shayna again for her hospitality, but I was a little surprised when she sat down at the table.

"You look like something's bothering you."

(I already heard once from Krista that her mother is a very good listener, but now that I've met her, I feel comfortable with her, like I could tell her anything)

"That's the understatement of the day."

"If you want to talk about, I'll listen."

"Don't you have a shop to run?"

"Yes, but .P.—rank has its privileges, which means that as the owner, I told the other person behind the counter to run things for a bit."

"You won't tell anyone what I'm going to say?"

"You have my word as a mother of three and grandmother of six, Alexis."

I told her everything, and by the time the food came, I was deep in the middle of the story and torn between finishing it, eating, and figuring out how to help Tobias with his own meal. Shayna remedied that by fetching a booster seat and helping Tobias eat. (Speaking of whom, he poured on his usual charm and they got on great) When I was done eating and telling my story, Shayna finally spoke.

"That's really quite an awful thing to find out, but I know someone who can sympathize with you because she understands what it's like to survive a big shock to the system."

"Who?"

"Krista—my husband and I adopted her as a newborn, but she figured it out when she was five and freaked out. I was going to tell her a few years after that, but she figured it out first."

"Kate adopted me during the wedding ceremony… my situation is different than Krista's…"

"Be that as it may, she still understands the severity of the kind of shock you just had."

"I'll call her later."

"That's the ticket! Now what are you going to do after this?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You don't want to go home or to the loft, but do you have a place you can crash while people take care of you and Tobias?"

"Actually, yes. I have my grandparents in Brooklyn."

"Splendid." She got up and helped Tobias into his wagon. "Now call your driver and ask him to take you."

Shayna didn't give me time to respond because she had already gathered up the dishes and was taking them back to the kitchen. I placed a call to Beau, and he was there in no time flat because she was just around the corner. I paid Shayna for the food, touched when she gave us a bag of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies free of charge, and then left with Tobias and Beau.

_Thirty minutes later _

_Beckett-Serizawa house, Brooklyn _

Eventually, we pulled up the familiar brownstone house that I knew offered refuge. Ashley's mother Molly was pulling up in her car just as Beau drove off, and she hurried over.

"What are you two doing here?"

"I could ask you the same."

"I was bringing some treats for Amaya and Jessica." She indicated the freezer tote bag slung over her shoulder. "Their babies really like my cooking, but I'm still wondering why you and Toby are here. Where's Ashley?"

"I've just had the second worst day of my life, and he's giving me space. I came here because it's as far from home as I can get."

Not wanting to be ignored, Tobias reached out for Molly, wanting to be held. She promptly obliged, careful of his cast. At that moment, the front door opened to reveal Amaya's twin boys, Tokutaro and Mitsunobu.

"We don't know what's going on, but mama told us to come out here and help you bring the wagon inside for you, Alexis." Tokutaro began before turning to Molly. "She also told us to get the freezer bag."

Molly and I watched as the boys took the freezer bag and set it in the wagon before lifting the contraption up the steps and spotting each other so nobody fell. When I got inside, Amaya spotted me immediately and pulled me aside.

"What's the matter, sweetheart? What brings you across the bridge?"

"I don't want to talk about it, but maybe later."

"What do you need?"

"A place to lay down and close my eyes."

"You can use our room upstairs for as long as you want." With the love and gentleness of a mother, she helped me up the stairs. "Come on, Lex."

It seemed like an eternity later, but I was finally alone and on a bed surrounded by the contents of the envelope from Arjan Van Giersberg. You would think that I would've started freaking out when I saw the conclusive results of the paternity test, but I didn't.

What made me lie down, close my eyes while tears fell down my face as I prayed for this mess to get straightened out was the picture of my eight-year-old self at the ski lodge with… my parents.

I felt so disturbed because I could suddenly remember that day like it was yesterday. I'd been so miserable because my leg was broken, but when they brought me back to the lodge and we camped out by the fireplace, they did everything to make me smile again.

And now, I remember thinking that even though I was hurt, I didn't want that day to end because it was a fun adventure and the most fun I'd ever had.

Oh, God. What do I do?

This is what nightmares are made of.


	19. Intermission

_May 29, same day _

_Across town, Castle loft _

_Kate's Point of View _

Alexis bailed in the middle of the chaos, and I can't really say that I blame her. Everything she's ever known has just fallen apart.

I really should go look for her because I know she'll get as far from here as possible.

Miserable probably doesn't begin to explain how she feels, but speaking of misery, Castle had to be feeling ten times worse. We moved to the couch because it was on the other side of the room, and he laid down on it, resting his head on my lap. I held his hand, giving him something to focus on.

We were both silent for the better part of an hour, even when Serenity had finished cleaning up LJ's mess and closed the door to give us privacy, but I finally broke the silence.

"Rick, you need to sit up so we can talk about it."

"What's there to talk about?" he grumbled, pulling himself into a sitting position. "Even from the grave, Meredith is nothing but a backstabber! There's nothing to talk about!"

"Yes, there is!" I protested. "What about Alexis? She took all of the papers and things with her when she left, so we can't look at it right now, but she looked absolutely destroyed!"

"Kate, what can I do? I was there for Meredith during the whole pregnancy, and everything I did then, including moving off campus to find a place for us all to live, I did for her because I _loved _her! Everybody knew that she broke up with her boyfriend right before she met me, but I guess she only ever saw me as a rung in the ladder to getting famous. What did she ever see in me? I don't even know anymore! What did she think of Alexis?"

He ran his fingers through his hair, sighing shakily. Tears were falling down his face faster than he could stop them, but he didn't stop me when I reached over a wipe them away.

"The worst part is that I _know _Arjan because we were at school together, but the guy is a total selfish snob! It burns me up when I think of how Alexis comes from someone like that, and it burns me up even more that Meredith lied to me, but it just _kills_ me that we didn't know until last year that she was really sick!"

(Last fall, we learned that Meredith had once been diagnosed as an extreme sociopath)

"Why couldn't Arjan have just kept this to himself? I was there for everything, but Arjan and Meredith weren't there for anything! The last twenty-one years all feel like they were for nothing because I was raising _someone else's child! _I can't begin to tell you how jipped I'm feeling right now. It was all for nothing…"

My eyes filled up with tears at the sight of my husband's anguish. "Rick, it wasn't all for nothing."

"That's easy for you to say! You didn't meet Alexis until she was fifteen!"

There was an immediate stunned silence between us because he realized that he'd gone too far and I began crying because even in all of the years I've known Castle and in all of the fights we've had, he never cut me this deep.  
"How dare you!" I yelled, getting up and backing away. "How _dare _you say that to me,. Richard Alexander Castle! I am your wife, and I love you and _all _of our kids, no matter what! You _know _I love Alexis like she came from my body, and you know I'll do anything for her because you saw how hysterical I was when she and Lily were abducted almost two years ago, _and _you knowhow I stay up with her at night if she's here and has nightmares about that, or the murders of Meredith and Tobias' biological father! I can't believe that _anything _would give you the idea that it's okay to shut down and shut me out right now! I _adopted _her in _our _wedding ceremony, Rick, and she and I are _very _close now! Don't you _ever _imply that I'm not parent material for her!"

Castle sobered up immediately. "Kate, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"You're damn right you shouldn't have said it, but you did and you can't unring that bell. I never thought you could say that kind of thing to me. It was pretty freaking low!"

"Where are you going?"

I had started backing up towards the study door when I was yelling at him, and I had my hand on the doorknob.

"For a ride."

"Where? For how long?"

"Until I feel better. Let go."

He had caught up to me was holding me by the wrist, and I couldn't wiggle out of it.

"Can't we work this out, Kate? Please?"

"Not right now."

He loosened his grip, and I looked at him angrily, but it was in that moment that I saw his hurt and insecurity rise to the surface. It's not often that I see him look so defeated. "I won't stop you from going because I can tell you need the space, Kate, but I have to know—are you going to divorce me?"

"Of course not." I whispered. "Every couple fights, but you and are going to be together forever, no matter what. We may hurt each other with our words every once in awhile without meaning to, but I could never go as low as a divorce, _ever. _You're my one-and-done, forever."

Comforted, he let go of my wrist and pulled me in for a kiss, pulling my body against his because he wanted my body as close to mine as possible. In the blink of an eye, we were back at the couch, where he attacked my body in a frenzy of kisses in all the right places that had me sighing contently. (I'm usually more dominant in these kinds of situations, but right now, I just wanted to indulge my husband because one of his quirks is that he uses sex as a way to avoid the topic at hand) I let him carry on for a few minutes with unbuttoning my shirt, kissing the exposed skin. The only thing on my mind was making love to Castle because I knew in my heart of hearts that he needed it, but… this was not the time, and besides… aren't I supposed to be mad at him?

Castle got as far as second base before I gave him a kiss on his neck that was sure to leave a hickey later before I pulled away and began buttoning my shirt back up.

"Kate!" he whined. "We were almost to third base!"

"I know, but if we had kept going, we would have been well on our way to making baby number six already!"

Castle actually slipped his hand under my shirt and rubbed my trim belly, grinning to himself. I know he loves me no matter what I look like, but he _really _likes it when I'm pregnant.

"You wipe that silly grin off your face right now!" (Startled, he pulled away) "Don't get me wrong—I want baby number six as much as you do, but I want time with everybody else… and I also want to be able to keep kickboxing for awhile!"

"It's your body, that's fair enough."

Shirt finally buttoned, I stood and straightened out the wrinkles in the rest of my outfit. "And besides, _Richard, _I don't want to make our last baby in here."

"Why not?"

"For starters, this is where we made Jameson and then got caught by Martha in the middle of it. We're all adults, but I'm scarred for life."

"Good point, but I thought this was where we made Jeremiah and Johanna."

"Nope. _That, _unfortunately, was the time that I went help you close up at the Old Haunt and then you tried and failed yet again to beat me in a drinking contest. Looking back, all I can say is that I'm glad we were trying for a baby…"

He frowned slightly. "If that's just 'for starters,' then what's the rest?"

"When we decide to make baby number six, I would rather that it be some place romantic, like maybe Storm Fall at sunset, when it's just us."

I watched him shudder with desire as his imagination was gallivanting away with him as wild fantasies of us alone at our Hamptons house before I reached over and tweaked his nose, bringing him back to reality and speaking in a tone of defeat.

"That's also fair, but do you still have to leave right now?"

I nodded, heading back to the door with Castle trailing after me like a lovesick puppydog. "I do. What you said still hurts a little bit, but I need to find Alexis and hug her, just for my own peace of mind."

"Will you tell me when you find out where she is? Will you tell her I love her?"

"Yes and yes."  
"What about the kids? Are you taking any of them?"

"Since three of them are sleeping, and a fourth one puked, I'm gonna have to say no. I have to do this by myself."

"All right, Kate. That works."

He opened the door, gesturing out towards the living room and making a sweeping bow.

"After you, madam."

I just laughed and shook my head as I exited the study. LJ was camped out on the couch, wearing clean clothes, looking slightly worse for wear but not wiped out. She saw me, but had eyes only for her precious daddy. I stood back a ways and watched them.

"Daddy, I'm feelin' better now." LJ chirped to him before becoming serious. "You… _are _my daddy, right?"

"Yes, baby angel, I am." He sat down next to her and held her hand. "I am."

"Please may I sit in your lap? I promise I won't puke."

Castle laughed and pulled her onto his lap, giving her a kiss on the top of her head as she snuggled against him.

"Daddy, can we watch cartoons?"

"Of course, Lily Joy."

I left them to their own devices and headed towards the stairs, passing Martha and Serenity, both of whom were conversing quietly at the breakfast bar, sipping glasses of Chardonnay wine. Once I went upstairs towards the bedrooms, I checked on all of my sleeping children and kissed them on their foreheads, thanking God for all three of them as well as Alexis and Lily Joy. A few years ago, I wouldn't have imagined that I would be married, much less with five or six kids. My husband is the only one who knows that I was once told that I'd never be able to have any children of my own because of all of the wear and abuse I put my body through in the years following my mom's death. Some people say that six kids—especially with four of them being five and under—is a bit much, but my babies are all precious gifts and miracles to me, and that's the way it'll always be when I look at them.

Regaining my focus, I slipped over to the master bedroom and changed into a more comfortable outfit for travelling on the subway—blue jeans, a green t-shirt featuring a picture of the Green Lantern, black flats and my favorite red leather jacket—before tying my long brown hair up in a ponytail, and checking myself over in the mirror, briefly wondering how my body would hold out for another pregnancy.

"Patience is a virtue, Katie." I told myself. "Patience is a virtue."

Before I could get too caught up in my imagination, I remembered that I had to get going down to the subway soon. Ten minutes later, after saying goodbye to Rick, LJ, Martha and Serenity, and then riding the elevator down to the lobby, I received a text from Alexis.

_I'm okay. _

My response was quick. _Thank God. Where are you? _

_In Brooklyn, at Jim's and Amaya's. Will you come see me? _

_Right away. I'm leaving for the subway now. _

_Thanks. Love you :) _

_Love you, too :) _

It took awhile, but I was eventually a few blocks way from my apartment building, riding a subway car on the Q Line, which would take me straight to the Seventh Avenue and Flatbush Station, only three blocks away from where Alexis was. On the ride over, I used my iPad to look up Arjan Van Giersberg's biography, and I shuddered a little when I saw resemblances between him and Alexis. It scared me, but made the truth sink in because I saw little bits of Tobias in him, especially with the super curly hair and multicolored eyes. Those are some strong genes…

Once I arrived at my destination, I put my iPad away and disembarked, going up to the sidewalk and travelling the three blocks to my childhood home. When I arrived, Amaya welcomed me in, carrying Keiko on her hip, but still came down on me like a pissed off mother bear, made ten times more scary by her pregnancy hormones.

"What's going on?" she hissed at me. "Alexis and Tobias just turned up out of the blue, and Alexis looked positively destroyed!"

I glanced around. "Where are they?"

"Toby is playing with some toys in the living, and Molly, Jordan, Jenny and Lanie are in there, too."

"What? How did _they _get here?"

"Not important," she said dismissively, readjusting Keiko on her hip and still speaking in the tone of a mother scolding her child. "But you owe me an explanation, Katherine Joy Castle, about why my oldest grandchild is upstairs in my room, sobbing her eyes out. Ashley, Yoshi and Jessica Rose are all up there with her now."

I sighed heavily, knowing she wasn't going to let me move past until I gave her an answer.

"Mom, it's really complicated and will take a long time to explain, but I _promise _I'll come back down to tell you, Molly, Jordan and Lanie. If you want to kill time, I suggest you turn Jordan loose in the kitchen and let her bake. I heard she's been doing lots of baking lately."

My stepmother made a frustrated huffing noise and turned on her heel towards the living room while I went upstairs. Reaching the master bedroom, I saw Yoshi and Jessica filing out, being herded along by Ashley, the latter of whom informed me that Alexis was in there, but was prone to cry at the drop of a hat.

I saw her sitting on the edge of the bed, taking deep calming breaths and caressing her belly, talking to the child inside. Alexis gave me a feeble smile when she realized I was in the room and held her arms out to me, wanting a hug. I promptly sat down next to her and held her close.

"Thanks for coming, mommy."

(Despite being twenty-one years old, Alexis only ever calls me that if she's really sad or scared… like now)

"You're my Sunshine Girl, the same way that LJ is my Baby Bird. I'll do anything for either of you, the same way I'd do anything for Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna."

"Because you adopted us? LJ says that grew next to your heart, and that's how you knew to pick us, even though we were already dad's daughters."

"Even though your sister is only five, she's quite right about that. I love you so much, no matter what any letter or test says. Do you understand?"

Alexis nodded but had a dark expression on her face as she picked up the handwritten letter that she'd shown us at the loft earlier and handed it to me.

"Read it." She told me. "Please read it."

I did, and by the end, my heart was absolutely broken for Alexis, but it broke even more when I looked over the official paternity tests and even the picture of Alexis with Arjan and Meredith in the ski lodge at Aspen. It all me hold Alexis closer, and I could tell that she appreciated it. I could even feel her baby bump pressed up against my torso, and I realized that if this had been happening a few weeks from now, I'd probably be feeling her baby kick me.

"Kate," she said after a moment. "Ashley and I had Yoshi and Jess in here as our sounding board."

"For what?"

"Deciding on whether or not I should go see Arjan."

"And how did that go?"

"They both think I should go, so long as Ashley comes with. I have no qualms against that part, though."

"What would Calvin and Melissa say if they were here and not at work?"

"Melissa would nail my feet to the floor because she would think all I have to gain is getting hurt in some way, but Calvin would want me to go because he knows what it's like to come from a dysfunctional family, even if it's not in his own house, per se. Calvin would want me to get some kind of closure since Jordan hasn't been able to get any kind of closure with Nana Adams."

She sighed sadly.

"I can't believe that Nana's been hitting Jordan for decades and hasn't stopped yet. I wish that Jordan would be brave and stand up for herself! I saw a new bruise on her face today…"

(It isn't often talked about, but my children and the Shaw children are cousins because Jordan is Meredith's older sister)

"My heart hurts for Jordan just as much as yours does, trust me on that, but do you know for sure if you and Ashley are going to the hospital to see Arjan?"

Alexis nodded into my shoulder as she continued to lean against me. "We're going to go after we leave here, but I'm… scared."

"You have a right to be, but don't forget you have lots of people, including a wonderfully supportive husband, who will do absolutely anything to take your fear away so you're feeling better."

"That's true."

"It is." I smiled. "Do you want to get up yet?"

"No. I just want to sit with you for a few more minutes."

"That's fine, Alexis. We can do that."

Upon hearing these words, I felt her relax against me, much like a small child would do, and not for the first time, I cursed Meredith Adams because if not for her, Alexis wouldn't have half the emotional trauma that she has to contend with whenever anything serious arises with the parental figures in her life.

If not for Meredith, I know Alexis wouldn't have been born, so I can't always curse her, but…

If not for Meredith, Alexis wouldn't be clinging to me like a frightened child, prepping herself for the eventual outcome: her biological father is on his deathbed and could die even today, leaving Alexis as an orphan.


	20. Never Knew

_Alexis' Point of View _

Kate left me a few minutes later when I assured her I was going to be okay, and at my request, she sent Ashley back up to me, and Tobias was with him.

"Are you ready to go?"

I nodded but winced a little as I got to my feet and massaged my belly. "Jeez, kid. You really have to chill out; you're not a guppy!"

"Is the baby giving you grief?" Ashley asked.

I nodded again, pouting. "I just wish that she'd give me a kick or something. It makes me sad."

Hearing this, Tobias leaned towards me, wanting to be held, so I took him and he hugged me.

"No sad eyes, p'ease. I here now; no tears."

"I love you, baby boy."

"I _big _boy! Baby es little!"

"Exactly right—you're my _big _boy!"

He trilled in agreement, and turned to Ashley. "Time-a go?"

"Yes." Ashley started to guide us out. "We're going to the hospital."

"Why?"

"To visit a man called Mr. Arjan. He's really ill."

"So sad…"

"Will you be good?"

"Yep!"

Pleased with this, my husband continued conversing with my son as we headed down the stairs to the front door. We left quickly because I didn't want to make a big scene, but Kate managed to see us off and give me one last hug. Ashley had travelled by subway to get to Brooklyn, so that's how we got back to Manhattan, all the way to the station a block away from the hospital.

When we got inside, it suddenly occurred to me that I didn't know what room Arjan was in. The receptionist advised us to go upstairs to the ward for terminally ill patients because we'd probably find out more information up there, and we did.

"May I help you?" a new nurse was approaching me from the nurse's area. "Would you be looking for a patient?"

"Yes; we're looking for Arjan Van Giersberg's room."

"I was just about to head there to check on him, so you can all walk with me." She explained as she started walking towards the double doors leading to patient care. "Are you Alexis Kerrigan?"

"I am."

The nurse looked a little grim. "Well, it's a good thing you're here. Mr. Van Giersberg took a turn for the worse, and it's not long now, I'm afraid, but he's going to be happy to see you, Mrs. Kerrigan."

I just nodded, steeling myself for whatever was coming, and when we got to Arjan's room, my heart sank because he looked way worse than I expected. He was lying in bed, dressed in a hospital gown and looking ghostly pale. His mop of curly red hair was lackluster in color, and his pale skin looked stretched over his entire body, like a cancer patient.

But he doesn't have cancer.

He has advanced emphysema.

Arjan was turned away from us when we arrived, but he turned to the nurse when she started checking his vitals, and that's when I saw that even though I got most of my looks from my biological mother, I had definitely inherited the shape of his face and his nose. However, my heart skipped a beat when I saw his eyes—the left was dark brown, almost black, but the right one was a vibrant blue like mine, but had a big splotch of hazel… and that's _exactly _how Tobias' eyes look! My boy has heterochromia iridis, a condition that causes the irises in a person's eyes to be different colors, and from what I know about it, that condition can be inherited. I don't have it, and neither did Tobias' biological father or my biological mother, so that only leaves Arjan as the only person in the family that Tobias could have gotten it from.

(Talk about making things more real…)

"Mr. Van Giersberg, would you like to try another wound with your oxygen tank?" suggested the nurse. "It'll help you feel better."

Arjan shook his head and spoke in a frail tone. "Nothing's going to help, except sitting up."

The man's words were labored and it made me sad, but I plastered on a brave face and ventured forth to his bedside, even holding his hand when he reached for mine. It felt like ice, but I didn't flinch.

"Hi, Arjan." (What else was I supposed to call him?) "I'm here; I came."

He smiled, but I knew he was is pain.

"You're so beautiful, Alexis. Come sit and tell me about yourself."

I sat down on the edge of the bed and beckoned my family over. "I just got married a few weeks ago to Ashley, here, and he's the love of my life."

Unsure of how to respond, Ashley just nodded hello, but Tobias asked for me to hold him, and I did. When he was comfortable in my lap, he blew Arjan a kiss.

"This is my son, Tobias. He'll be two in September."

I shifted uncomfortably as I felt my unborn baby wiggling around inside me, and I moved Tobias to the side, smoothing out the fabric of my green maternity dress against my belly.

"We recently found out that we're expecting baby number two, and we're really excited about it, but right now this kid is in a phase where they're pretending to be an oversized guppy, or something."

He smiled, and I swear his eyes were twinkling. "Boy or girl?"

I shrugged. "We'll be finding out this week."

Arjan eyed my wrist brace and Tobias' cast. "What happened?"

"We were in a car accident, and I hurt my wrist, but Tobias broke his leg. He's been in physical therapy for awhile now."

Arjan turned towards the nurse, who had been watching quietly from the side.

"Nurse?"

"Yes, Mr. Van Giersberg?"

"See to it that my lawyers pay for all of Tobias' medical expenses while he's in therapy."

She nodded, making a note on her clipboard. "Anything else?"

"Add to the list that I want trust funds created for Tobias and the baby so they'll be able to go to college."

The nurse made further note of this as Ashley and I protested that it wasn't necessary, but Arjan waved it off.

"Nonsense, you two. I _want _to do this because after all this time, it's the first thing I _can _do for your family."

(How could we say no after that?)

"Do you mind, Ashley, if I have some time alone with Alexis?" Arjan asked my husband.

"Of course not."

Ashley plucked Tobias from my arms, explaining the new situation. Tobias understood and waved goodbye while Ashley gave me a peck on the lips.

"Call me when you're done. We'll be around."

"Okay."

They left, taking the wagon with them, and upon Arjan's request, the nurse left, too. This was definitely serious if he wanted a one-on-one conversation.

"I know that you and your mother never got along," he began. "But I want to tell you something."

"What's that?"

"She was the best thing that ever happened to me."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Not only was I sitting in front of a dying man, but also a man deluded.

"How so?"

"She always made me happy, even when I was at rock bottom."

"Her friendship made you happy, or something?"

"So did our marriage."

I blanched at this. "Excuse me?"

"We got married in a private ceremony…"

He waved it off, not wanting to answer because of the pain he was in, so I respected his wishes and waited for him to start speaking again. When he did, he grabbed my hand as tightly as he could.

"Alexis?"

"Yes?"

"I'm so sorry for being selfish and dumping this in your lap."

I chose my words carefully. "If my mother did everything she did to keep me in the dark, even though you always wanted to tell me, then it's a relief to know at least one of you is honest with me. Will you understand that I'll be able to forgive you one day, but not now?"

"I understand." He gave my hand a squeeze. "Alexis?"

"Yes?"

"You look just like her…"

I didn't know who he was talking about, but I wasn't able to ask because he smiled and closed his eyes, giving my hand another squeeze. (He was _definitely _dying in front of me, his _only _child) We stayed like that for ages and his breathing eventually slowed to nothing. All I could hear was the flat-lining of the monitor he was hooked up to.

Arjan was dead.

The status of his monitor brought a team of nurses running in with a crash cart. As I slipped away towards the door, I wanted to tell them it was no use, but they found out soon enough and I watched them call time of death before finally leaving to find Ashley. Eventually, I found him and Tobias enjoying the view of a large aquarium in the downstairs front lobby. When they saw the state I was in, they immediately abandoned the fish and hugged me.

"Lex, did he…?" Ashley couldn't finish, but I nodded.

"Yeah, it was about ten minutes ago."

"I'm so sorry."

"Thanks, I guess."

(It felt awkward to accept the condolences for the death of a parent I never knew I had to begin with)

"How are you feeling?"

"Numb, Ashley; I'm an orphan now! I'm not even sure when I'm going to cry."

"And that's fine. How's the baby?"

I rested a hand on my bump and smiled at the fluttering sensation I felt in my womb.

"She's good."

"I'm glad. Is there anything you want right now?"

"I want to go the loft."  
"Are you sure? You totally bailed earlier!"

"I'm very sure. Let's go."

_Twenty-five minutes later _

When I rang the doorbell, my dad—the man I've known my entire life—answered the door, and he was a bit surprised as he stood to the side to let us in.

"Alexis! I didn't think I'd be seeing you again for a long time yet!"

I looked up at him. "May I give you a hug?"

"I'd like nothing more than that right now."

I threw my arms around him in a hug which he immediately returned, careful of my belly, and I rested my head against his shoulder/

"Daddy, I went to see him. We look alike, but he wasn't _you _because _you're _my daddy, and nobody will ever replace you or all of my growing up years in this apartment, no matter what."

We pulled apart for a second to look in each other's eyes for reassurance, but we were soon back to hugging.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Pumpkin, because nothing could changed it for me, either. May I ask how it went…?"

"Arjan passed away, but I'm sure he died happily because I was there."

Dad wanted to respond, but all at once, the sound of three crying children came over the speaker of a nearby baby monitor. I turned towards the stairs, looking up.

"Can I go get Jamie, Jed and Joey? I need to see them."

"Sure, but don't wake Lily because she just decided to take a nap. Puking three times really zapped her energy."

Promising to be quiet, I hurried upstairs.

_A few hours later, Kate's Point of View _

I stayed in Brooklyn for hours, mostly because I was mad at Castle for what he'd said, and luckily for me, Amaya was very patient and let me cry on her shoulder like some brokenhearted teenage girl and I was thankful for it. Amaya is the best stepmom ever.

Despite the slew of kids begging me to stay, I bid them all goodbye and left for the subway. When I got home, it was early evening, and I was met by a warm sight: Castle cuddling with a soundly sleeping Alexis, who had a blanket draped over her front. Castle was content to hold her, but he smiled when I sat down on Alexis' other side.

"Hey, Kate."

"Hey, Rick. It looks like Lex decided to come back."

He nodded. "Yeah, but Arjan passed away while she was there."

"How sad…"

My thoughts trailed off as I involuntarily flashed back to being a kid and watching my little cousin Irina pass away in my arms because her body had been too weak to recover from injuries obtained in a horrible subway accident.

In an effort to distract myself, I looked around the room and noticed its emptiness.

"Where is everybody?"

"Mother and Serenity went back to their place, and Jameson, Tobias and the twins are all sleeping in the nurseries upstairs."

"Then what about LJ and Ashley?"

"He decided to cure her gloominess by taking her to the play museum in Lincoln Center. He also wants to take her out to dinner, so they'll be gone for awhile."

I smiled at my son-in-law's thoughtfulness. "What a guy."

Castle nodded in agreement, but looked at me with the utmost seriousness. "Kate, I am so sorry about what I said earlier; you not being enough parent material for Alexis. You're absolutely perfect for her, and I'm so glad she has you in her life."

I looked at my sleeping daughter wedged in between us and smiled when a smile crossed her beautiful face, even in slumber. She may not have come from my body, but I love her as if she did. Tucking a strand of her stray hair behind her ear, I looked back at Castle.

"And I forgive you."

He blinked in surprise, not expecting to hear that. "You do?"

"Uh-huh." I purred. "Let me show you."

"Upstairs? In the shower?"

I nodded and got up, heading towards the stairs but looked back when I didn't hear his footsteps.

You comin' or what?"

After making sure Alexis was comfortable on the couch, he got up and hurried after me.


	21. Christmas Miracles In May

_Kate's Point of View_

Before all of the drama with Alexis' biological father, Castle and I had already invited Kevin, Jenny, Javier, Lanie and their kids over for dinner, but we almost called it off. Alexis caught wind of this and promptly told us not to cancel dinner plans on her account. Perhaps as an act of kindness, Castle extended to Alexis, and now she and her family were also joining us. We invited Flora's roommates—Amaya's three teenage siblings—as well as Martha and Serenity, but they all declined, already having other things to do.

Honestly, I was glad that Alexis convinced us not to cancel because the Ryans are bringing Jenny's long-lost and oldest daughter, Flora, and we're all excited because she has recently turned up out of the blue after having been accidentally separated from Jenny for fifteen years. Upon reconnecting with the her, Flora's been lying low, but is now curious about her mom's and stepdad's friends and wants to meet them, starting with us and the Espositos. It was Castle's idea to use our place, and I happily agreed because I honestly love being a hostess.

I'm especially looking forward to meeting Flora.

She is a very guarded young woman because of the time she spent in the foster care system, but she's even more guarded about her son Francis, who is two years old and lights up her life. Three facts that Flora makes known, though, are one: she's really good at photography and makes a seriously good killing off it; two: she's a very big of Castle's work, has _all _of his books in Japanese_, _and has even clipped out the handful of interviews I've given to magazines like _Cosmo _over the years; and three, but perhaps the most important fact—Francis was born completely deaf at birth because Flora was unknowingly infected with cytomegalovirus when she was pregnant, accidentally passing it to her son. Francis has never heard the sound of his own voice, but communicates mostly through sign language.

Don't get me wrong—the Ryans love having Flora and Francis in their lives, but Jenny called me one night to talk and brought up her grandson's deafness, wishing that she and Kevin could fix it. That sparked an idea in my brain, which I ran by Castle: he and I will anonymously pay for not only a cochlear implant operation for Francis, but also the speech and hearing therapy that will inevitably come with it.

We told this to the Ryans, and they were very surprised, but thanked us profusely. In her excitement, Jenny told Lanie, who told Javier, and it was them who suggested we surprised Flora, thus we all decided to have dinner together.

Castle and I contacted Thomas Ryan and he's agreed to do the surgery. He'll be calling Flora at some point tonight about it.

Alexis and Ashley are also in on the surprise and they're here with Tobias now. Dinner is almost done, but Castle is manning that right now because I've noticed that while Alexis is here and has been enjoying bonding time with her siblings, she's gotten up and walked away from them to stand by the window that looks out on the street below.

"Is everything okay?" I asked gently. "Apart from what happened yesterday, I mean. Are you and the baby feeling okay?"

She fondly ran a hand over her blossoming baby bump. "We're both okay, mom. I've just been thinking."

"About?"

"It's been almost two years since LJ and I were abducted when I was nine months pregnant, and now something is bothering me about it."

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but let's hear it."

"They've abducted me, they've hurt Melissa and _killed _her parents, your mom, _my _mom, Lanie's mom, the Ryan siblings' mom, and Yoshi's dad! Hell, they even got my ex-fiancé!"

"What are you saying, Lex? I know all this."

"They hurt Calvin, abducted Jordan, and now it's common knowledge that _Jessica _was deep inside their circle against her will! What I'm _saying _is that they've gotten to some of the most precious people in my life except… except…"

"Except whom?" I prompted.

"Except Ashley."

"I'm scared he's next, but I'm also scared that Javier, Lanie or Jenny could also be next! Is that weird? They're more primary candidates than Ashley is, but I'm worried!"

She shuddered and I pulled her close in a comforting hug as she continued.

"I've stared into the face of danger, but it's like he's lying low… waiting to strike again…"

Thoroughly creeped out, I continued to hold her close for a few minutes until the doorbell rang. Seizing the distraction, Alexis went to the front door and answered it, letting the Ryans and the Espositos enter.

"No Jessica tonight?" I asked Lanie as I as approached where she was now standing with Alexis and Jenny.

"Nope. She's definitely staying put in Brooklyn with her family until her due date."

Jenny whistled a low single note. "She's close now, isn't she? How many more days?"

"Twelve."

I ran a hand over my belly absently, thinking yet again of my last child who hasn't even been conceived yet, and probably won't be for another year or so.

"It's always fun when your babies grow up and start having babies of their own."

Jenny and Lanie nodded in agreement, but Alexis blushed bright red and promptly changed the subject.

"Lanie, is it okay if I hold Liberty? I really want to hold a baby right now."

"Of course you can hold her!" Lanie chirped, easing her nearly one-month-old baby girl into Alexis' arms. "Liberty loves when people walk around with her, so don't be afraid to go talk to Flora."

"She loves babies." Jenny added cheerfully. "They make great conversation starters, as I'm sure you know."

We watched as Alexis brushed some imaginary dust off Liberty's outfit and then coo to her in a high-pitched voice about what they were going to do next. Oblivious to Lanie, Jenny and me, Alexis gave Liberty a kiss on the forehead, eliciting a giggle from the little one. Completely charmed, Alexis turned around and walked towards Flora, who was out in the living room with all of the little kids. Once she was out of earshot, Jenny rounded on me, and so did Lanie, acting as her backup.

"So," Jenny spoke in a quiet tone, so as not to be overheard. "What's the plan?"

"We sit down to eat now, and then Thomas calls Flora at a quarter to seven."

Lanie checked her watch. "That's in forty-five minutes. Let's rally the troops!"

We rallied the troops pretty quickly because everybody was really hungry, and the kids were happy to see a kid-friendly meal of spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, Caesar Salad and apple juice. Little kids and grown-ups alike were thrilled when I announced that there was a freshly baked chocolate cake for dessert.

The time for the phone call came faster than I thought.

"Flora," Jenny spoke suddenly, turning to her oldest daughter. "You keep your phone in your pockets, right? I think I hear something ringing…"

Flora put down her fork and fumbled for the phone in her pocket while getting up and excusing herself away from the table.

_Flora's Point of View _

I sat down at the couch a few feet away from the table and answered my phone, even though I was a bit surprised to see who was calling me.

"Hi, Uncle Thomas! What's up?"

"Are you sitting down?"

"Yes…"

"There are some kind Samaritans that wish to remain anonymous who have heard about Francis' disability."

This threw me for a loop and I placed my hand over my heart. "R-really?"

"Really," He assured me. "And not only that, but they're going to pay for a cochlear implant surgery for Francis."

My heart rose into my throat at his words, and I could feel my eyes tearing up.

"Oh, my God!" my voice came out broken, but only because I was feeling so surprised. "Does this mean my baby boy is going to be able to _hear?" _

"There's going to be lots of hearing and speech therapy afterwards, but yes, it _does _mean that Francis will be able to hear you for the first time in his life."

I leaned against the back of the couch, overwhelmed with emotion and very aware of the dinner table behind me that had suddenly gone quiet.

"When is the operation scheduled for?"

"It's going to take awhile to prep my team, but how does a week from today—June sixth—at seven a.m. sound?"

"That's great." I answered, feeling relief in knowing that my uncle is the best pediatric surgeon in the country. "How much will the therapy cost?"

"Flora, that's all been covered, too."

Hearing this, I felt my throat constrict slightly. Even though I'm pretty loaded when it comes to money, hearing that even the therapy sessions were taken care of was making me feel all sorts of gratitude. I couldn't speak so Uncle Thomas continued.

"You can come pick up the paperwork from my office tomorrow so you can look it all over, but all you have to worry about is bringing Francis to the pediatrics wing on June sixth at seven in the morning, all right, sweetie?"

I finally remembered how to talk. "Okay, Uncle Thomas. Thank you so much for the phone call!"

"You're very welcome. I'm going to let you go now, but when you hang up, I want you to tell Francis what's going on and then hug him. Will you do that?"

"I will. Thanks again."

We ended the call and I pocketed my phone and gave myself a second to be less of a blubbering mess. In that second, however, Francis had wandered over to me, no doubt directed by mom, Kevin or even Alyssa, and he touched my knee gently so I'd notice him when he started signing.

_'__Why crying, mama?' _

I got down on my knees and hugged him. He was taken aback but returned the hug with all the strength he had before pulling away and looking back at me, waiting for an answer.

_'__Francis, mama just got a call from Uncle Thomas,' _I signed to him. _'And he told me something really important.' _

He flicked his eyes to my midriff briefly and looked back me. _'Baby?' _

_'__No. He told me that he's going to be able to do a special thing at the hospital that's going to be able to help you hear.' _

His eyes grew huge when he realized what I meant and touched his ears and lips before reaching up to touch mine.

_'__I hear and talk? Like mama?' _he signed with trembling fingers.

_'__Yeah, that's right! Are you excited?' _

Francis nodded with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and let out a joyful squeal even though he couldn't hear himself. As he began jump up and down happily, he signed the same thing over and over.

_'__I hear, I talk! I hear, I talk!' _


	22. Abigail, Part One

_May 31, next day_

_Kerrigan apartment, Alexis' Point of View_

I really would have liked to forget everything that happened with Arjan, but there was no possible way because I'll never be able to forget the horrible sinking feeling that came with finding out the long-kept family secret about me, and I sure as hell can't forget that Tobias looks a lot like Arjan or that Tobias looks like him. I'm scarred for life now.

All of that aside, the main reason that I can't forget about him is because today is his funeral. Arjan was a very important person, seeing as he worked in the mayor's office for many years before he got sick, so I guess that one of those people organized the funeral and put out the invitations. Whoever it was, they got my current address and sent me an invitation, too. I responded immediately, although it was with a heavy heart.

What made me even sadder was that even though Ashley had agreed to come with me, he was continuing to have some doubts.

"Alexis, I will support you no matter what, but why did you respond so quickly?"

I sighed as I finished tying the sash on my black maternity dress because I knew this was bound to come up.

"I accepted the invitation so quickly because Arjan was my father."

"You only knew the man for all of twenty minutes before he died!" My husband pointed out as he buttoned his shirt. "Twenty minutes!"

"You don't have to remind me. The time we had together was short, but even still, I saw that he was very sweet and generous, but a tad bit deluded." (I began putting on a pair of maternity-sized pair of nylon tights. They were black with gold stars) "I'm going because even though I'm not ready for the world to know that Arjan Van Giersberg had a secret daughter, it's the right thing to do."

"Even though he and Meredith both cheated and lied to Rick?"

"Even then." I confirmed. "We'll teach the kids when they're teenagers in serious relationships that lying and cheating are very, very bad things, but let it be known right now that while I abhor what my parents did, I'm going also going to the funeral because I have to see that both of them have been buried now."

I moved from our bedroom to the bathroom and began to put my makeup on. Ashley followed me.

"Okay, so once we leave Arjan's funeral, you'll be closing the book on a certain part of your life?"

"Precisely."

We both moved around in silence for a few minutes, getting ready. After I was done, I looked at my reflection in my full-length mirror, admiring it but wishing I wasn't dressed up for a sad event.

My dress was a black tea-length baby doll dress that came down to my knees but flowed out in an empire waist. The sleeves were quarter-length, making my "Love wins" tattoo completely visible, and the dress featured a modest v-collar that was funeral appropriate. The dress was plain because I didn't want to draw attention to myself, and besides, now that the sash on the back was tied, it really showed off the shape of my fourteen-week belly.

"Hi, Tiny." I cooed to the baby inside. "Mama is really sorry that everything has been crazy like a yoyo. It's not fun, is it?"

The baby fluttered around in response even though it wasn't big enough to hear me.

"It'll all be over soon, and then we'll come back here and have lots of ice cream, okay?"

The baby fluttered a little more before relaxing, and I realized that Ashely was watching me.

"I always love watching you talk to the baby. It's a solid reminder that we're in this together."

I walked over to him and stood on my tiptoes, planting a very passionate kiss on his lips.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Just another solid reminder that we're in this together. It was also a thank you."

"For what?"

"Supporting me and standing by me in everything that's happened since I came back from Oxford two years ago. I don't know how I would've made it if I didn't have you."

He hugged me, careful not to wrinkle my dress or smudge my makeup. "You're the one I choose Alexis, forever and ever. I'm so glad that you've been in my corner when I was missing my brother…"

"Would Tobias have liked me?"

"He would've loved you, and for a three-year-old, he was adept at charming the female gender."

I giggled at the thought of what my husband's baby brother must've been like before he got sick. Deep down, I really wish that I could go back in time to meet Tobias. He died before I ever knew about him…

"Now if you'll excuse me," Ashley gave me a peck on the cheek. "I'm going to go get our son ready. I also want to give him a really big hug."

I watched him go before putting on the finishing touch of my outfit, a special black lace veil called a mantilla. The funeral invitation requested that all girls and women attending wear one because it's part of the Orthodox Christian religion, which is what Arjan was raised in. Personally, I'm Atheist, but I'll respect Arjan's beliefs because without him, I wouldn't exist.

I put the veil on, arranging it like a hood. It came down over the front of my shoulders, making it long enough to tie under my chin to keep it in place. In the back, it covered my cascading red hair, making me feel as if I was wearing a doily on my head.

"Mama, wassat on you' head?"

Turning, I saw Ashley standing in the doorway with a fully dressed Tobias in his arms, the latter of whom was watching me intently. I crossed over to them.

"It's called a mantilla. Can you say mantilla?"

"Ma'tilla."

"Close enough. Are you ready?"

"Uh-huh! Lessgo!"

With that, we left.

_TWO HOURS LATER_

The church sanctuary was really packed and nobody really noticed us in the back pew. It was a good thing because the service was mostly in Dutch, a language that I don't understand. We weren't the only people who didn't understand what was being said, but from what I gathered about the Van Giersbergs, they were steeped in tradition, and in a small way, it made me feel proud of my newfound heritage.

Despite the language barrier, we stayed and as a result of being in the back row, we were some of the first people to leave.

"Alexis, what do you want to do now?" Ashley asked as we filed out of the sanctuary with Tobias. "I understand if you want to stay and go to the burial, but if you want to go grab a bite to eat, that's cool, too."

I plopped down unceremoniously on a nearby chair and massaged my belly. "Ask me again in five minutes. Tiny is really being obnoxious with all the fluttering, so I don't think I'll be able to make it through the whole thing at the cemetery."

Ashley opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was "Oof!" because a little girl no older than Tobias and dressed in a black a yellow polka dotted dress, black patent leather Mary Jane shoes and a black straw hat had collided with Ashley's legs, having run into them. She was now rubbing her nose as she got to her feet. A stuffed peacock toy was clamped under her left arm.

"Owie."

Ashley crouched down so he was eye level with her. "Are you okay, little one?"

She was a little surprised to see him standing there, but she gave him a winning smile. That was when Ashley and I, and even Tobias all went still because we all saw something eerie: the little girl had pale creamy skin and long red hair… just like mine. The cherry on top was that she had one hazel eye and one watery grey eye, a distinct marker of heterochromia iridum, a disorder in the eyes that Tobias inherited from Arjan.

Was this girl my sister? She looks a lot like me, but she's really little!

Tobias pointed to her, confused. "She little, mama! Looks like you! How?"

I removed my sunglasses and looked over at him. "I really don't know."

Ashley was still on eye-level with the the toddler. "Are you okay? You had quite a bump there."

"I good." she gave him a thumbs up.

"What's your name?" he asked gently. "I'm Ashley."

The toddler giggled and pointed to herself. "Abby Jazzy."

"Abigail Jasmine?"

"Yeah!" she crowed, happy that he got it right.

"What's your bird's name?"

"Ahh-gos."

"Argos?"

She nodded happily and sidled up to him, clearly comfortable. When she got closer, she even gave Ashley a high five.

"Where are your mama and daddy?"

She pointed to the ceiling, looking sad. "Heaven."

Ashley held his arms out to her and she leaned against him. "That's so sad, Abigail."

"Abby." she corrected. "I Abby."

"Okay, Abby." he agreed. "Where is the grown-up you were with?"

Abby shrugged and burrowed against him. Ashley showed her some compassion and gave her a big hug that the she seemed to appreciate. By this time, I had removed my sunglasses and was down on my knees next to Ashley and Tobias was leaning over the side of his wagon. Abby was definitely startled when she saw me and gave gave a squeak of fright.

"LOOK LIKE MEREDIF! NO LIKE!"

She promptly buried her face in Ashley's shoulder and began to cry. Baffled, Ashley did his best to comfort her, but when I tried to comfort her, she pulled away long enough to blow a raspberry in my direction before pressing up against Ashley.

I heard a sniffling noise that made my heart drop. Tobias was in his wagon, almost sobbing because he was so confused. I lifted him out of his wagon and sat him on my lap, wiping his tears.

"What's the matter?"

"You Abby's mama, too?"

"No, Toby."

"You sho'?" he sniffed.

"Totally." I kissed him on the top of his head. "Toby, I think she's actually my sister."

He raised his eyebrows and glanced over at her with renewed interest. "Mama has anudder sisser?"

(I knew he was thinking of Lily Joy and Johanna, too)

"It looks like it, but why don't you go give her a hug?"

"I no walk okay."

"You're doing better, though." I got him to stand up and then gave him a little nudge as he stood on both legs, favoring the one in the cast. "Now go give Abby a hug, but be gentle. She's littler than you."

He paused, thinking. "Abby no have mama or daddy?

"No."

This seemed to motivate him and he hobbled over to the crying toddler.

"Hola, Abby! I Toby!"

She pulled away from Ashley and looked at him. "T- *hic* Toby?"

"Yep!" he edged a little closer. "Wanna hug?"

"Y- *hic* yes."

Tobias gave her a huge hug and Abby dissolved into giggles, obviously feeling better. When the little kids pulled apart, Tobias was holding Abby's hand and she was grinning. By the happy look on Ashley's face, I could tell he was just as proud as I was that our son was able to cheer Abby up.

Speaking of whom, she had yet to address me directly, and just when I thought she would, she turned back to Ashley and asked to be held. He gladly obliged, but helped me to my feet before carrying Abby on one hip and Toby on the other.

Suddenly, a harried looking woman dressed in a black pinstriped business suit, pearls and heels hurried up to Ashley, her sights on Abby. This woman was her social worker.

"Abby!" she scolded. "I told you not to run away from me!"

Abby whimpered in fright and burrowed her face in Ashley's shoulder. A bit angry that this woman would come in so abruptly (and upset), Ashley and I both kicked into "overprotective parent" mode, but I did most of the talking.

"Excuse me, who do you think you are? We just got Abby to calm down!"

"I'm Margaret Landau, Abigail's social worker."

"What's she doing at a funeral?"

"It's for her father." (Margaret's tone was full of disdain, like she would rather be anywhere else) "I'm looking for Abigail's older sister, Alexis Kerrigan. Have you seen her?"

"You're talking to her."

Slightly embarrassed, she just cleared her throat. "Well, it's a good thing I have you both here. Reverend Joseph and a Mister Collins Mister Van Giersberg's are waiting in the office."

"Why?"

"To read Mister Van Giersberg's will. He left some very interesting things in it."

Ashley and I looked at each other, eyebrows raised. Arjan made a will?

"What could it hurt, Alexis?" he asked. "We might as well go."

"I don't want to lose Abby, though. Look at her."

Still in Ashley's arms, Abby leaned against him, looking very content. Toby was also in Ashley's arms, but he was resting a protective arm around Abby's shoulders. If she's my sister like I think she is, that means that Arjan and Merdedith were her parents. It also means that she's my full biological sister and the only true family she has left.

"I don't want to lose her, either." he admitted and then looked me directly in the eye. "We only just met her, but it feels like she belongs with us. I mean, Toby likes her already."

"He adores her, more like."

"Family resemblance or not, we should try to adopt her."

My heart leapt and I opened my mouth to agree, but Margaret cleared her throat, reminding us that she was still there. She had an impatient air about her, like she had a million other things to do, and Ashley sensed it because he held Abby closing to him as he talked to Margaret.

"I'll keep holding Abby, if you don't mind because she seems to be the most comfortable with me, but my wife, my son and I will be glad to follow you to where Reverend Joseph and Mister Collins are."

Margaret nodded and turned, beckoning for us to follow. "This way, please."

Neither of the kids wanted to ride in the wagon, so I pulled it along behind me as Ashley and I followed Margaret down a maze of hallways until we eventually came to a door marked "Rev. Joseph Murphy." I assumed that he was the older man dressed in priest robes and sitting behind a desk near a stained glass window, and that the man at the bookshelf wearing a business suit, really expensive Italian shoes and toting a leather attaché case was Mister Collins, Arjan's lawyer. Reverend Joseph said hello, but it was Mister Collins who approached us.

"Are you Alexis Katherine Kerrigan?" he asked, extending a hand.

"Yes, I am. Hello." I shook his hand and gestured towards the rest of my family who was being shown to a nearby couch, courtesy of the reverend. "Over there is my husband, Ashley and our little boy, Tobias. You obviously know about Abby…"

My voice trailed off as I thought about how to phrase my next words, but Mister Collins beat me to it.

"Are you wondering if she is your sister?"

I nodded as I sat down next to Ashley, whereupon Tobias immediately climbed into my lap for a snuggle, getting a little territorial. Abby remained with Ashley, although she had removed her straw hat and was facing outward. Argos the peacock was clutched tightly in her arms.

"I was wondering about that, among other things."

Margaret and Mister Collins both pulled up chairs to the couch when they realized that I was pregnant and not about to move anytime soon. Reverend Joseph, however, excused himself saying that he had to leave for the cemetery. When he was gone, Mister Collins opened his attaché case and took out a manila file folder.

"How familiar are you two with genetics and paternity tests?"

"Very." Ashley answered. "My wife and I are very familiar with them, and biology was one of my majors in school."

Mister Collins showed us a particular page from the file. "Then I assume you understand the paternity test you're looking at."

Indeed we did. After a thorough reading and examination of the diagrams and medical jargon, we understood that little Abigail Van Giersberg is my full biological sister because Arjan and Meredith were her parents, too.

"How old Abby?" I asked. "Honestly, I didn't even know she existed until today, but my family and I love her already."

"Abigail will be two on November sixteenth." answered Margaret. "Is there something wrong?"

After doing the math about Abby's birthday, I had blanched slightly. She's only two months young than Tobias, meaning that my bio-mother must've gotten pregnant with her about a month after abandoning LJ at the loft.

(Oh, God! What's LJ going to say when she meets our newest sister?)

"There's no problem." I assured Margaret. "What's going to happen to Abby now?"

"We don't want her going into the system." Ashley added for emphasis.

"That's where I come in." Mister Collins explained, pulling out another file from his attaché case. "I have your father's will here."

"Okay," I looked around. "But Arjan was a powerful man. Shouldn't there be other people here, too?"

The man shook his head. "Mister Van Giersberg's will is short and very specific. The only two people mentioned directly by name are you and Abigail."

I raised my eyebrows, but Margaret interjected, speaking pointedly. "Mister Collins, perhaps you should just skip ahead to the important part since we have two small children here. It would be most wise."

"Right you are." he agreed, scanning the paper he was holding. "Here we go._ 'To my younger daughter, Abigail Jasmine, I leave my record player and all of my records, so she can always have her favorite music to dance to. I also leave her all of the Van Giersberg family photo albums as a reminder of where she came from, even if she won't remember me. The photo albums may be found in the living room closet at my penthouse residence on Thirty-Fourth Street._

_And to my firstborn, Alexis Katherine, I leave two very important things, the first of which are the first of which are my Hamptons house, Heavenly Hillside Mansion, and everything in it, including my cars, dune buggy, motorcycle, boat and two Sea-Doos.'"_

Ashley and I exchanged surprised looks with each other, mostly because Heavenly Hillside Mansion is huge and just happens to next door to Storm Fall, the Castle family lake-house.

Mister Collins kept reading. _"'The final topic I wish to I wish to discuss in my will does not regard an object, collection or place, but a person. Alexis, I know I'm asking you a lot, but I would like you and your husband to consider adopting your sister, Abigail. No doubt you've met her by the time you're hearing these words, but I can promise you that once you two get over the shock of realizing you have each other, she is a delight to have and a joy to be around. I know you have a young family of your own already, but I don't want either one of you to have to do with our family because they'll hurt you and turn your sister into a little aristocrat, and I've wanted her to live as normal a life as one can when they come from family money. (The press doesn't even know who she is because I've always kept her a little disguised whenever we went out in public) Please consider taking care of her. She's a darling child in need of a new home…'"_

Mister Collins finished reading because the rest didn't concern us, but a shocked silence filled the air and I exchanged a surprised look with my husband again because not only had my sister and I been left many nice things, but my bio-dad was asking us to take a huge leap of faith to adopt a little girl we barely even know!

"I don't mean to intrude," Margaret said after a beat. "But the choice needs to be made right now, otherwise I have to start finding a group home for Abigail straight away."

(Talk about no pressure!)

Ashley and I had fallen in love with Abby at first sight, and so had Tobias, but it was really up to Abby, wasn't it? I addressed the kids in a motherly one that made them both look right over at me.

"Abby, Toby, we all need to talk about something."

I was now rewarded with their complete attention, which was impressive, seeing as they're both just one-and-a-half years old. My sister was already proving to be wickedly intelligent, just like Tobias is.

"What do you think of Abby being part of the family?"

Their eyes grew huge in excitement, both understanding what 'family' means.

"It a'ways?" Abby inquired anxiously.

"That's right!"

The tiny redhead gave a squeal of delight. "Toby come, p'ease?"

"Of course!"

She gave another squeal and turned towards her friend. "I come wif! It a'ways!"

Tobias wiggled out of my lap and crawled over to where his aunt was and hugged her tightly, a move she reciprocated.

"We buddies now!" he happily informed her. "Daddy an' mama, too!"

At the mention of mama, Abby gave me a skeptical once-over, but found it in herself to give me a smile and wave. In her mind, I looked like our bio-mother, whom she obviously remembers, but the smile and wave were already steps in the right direction, seeing as she had flat out yelled at me earlier.

Tobias just sat next to Abby, holding her hand, hot ready to let go soon. They're going to be friends for life now.

Remembering that we weren't alone, I turned to Margaret and Mister Collins.

"Where do we sign?"

Since Abby's adoption is an emergency placement and Mister Collins is a family attorney, mine and Ashley's signing of the papers counted as a legal adoption. Margaret counted as a witness.

It felt like a huge whirlwind had just blown through, but instead of leaving behind a mess, the whirlwind gave us a brand new family member to love and treasure.


	23. Abigail, Part Two

"What do we do now?" asked Ashley. "We can't stay here all day."

He, Tobias, Abby and I were still on the couch in Reverend Joseph's office, but the kids were getting drowsy. Abby was cuddled up against me, and as much as I wanted to let her doze, I had to keep her awake to tell her a few things, so I pulled her into my lap to face me.

"Wakey, wakey, my Munchkin!" (The pet name made my sister giggle) "You need to stay awake!"

"Why?"

"So I can tell you my name!"

Abby tilted her head to the side, curious. "Wassit?"

I pointed to myself. "Alexis. Can you say Alexis?"

"Lessississ."

"Good try. How about Lexie?"

"Lessie."

"Close enough. I'm your sister."

She gazed at me, wide-eyed. "No!"

"Yep! We have more sisters called Lily Joy and Johanna."

"Illy an' Nanana."

"We also have brother called Jameson and Jeremiah."

"Samie? Iah?"

"Good job!" I directed her attention towards Ashley. "That's Ashley."

"Bro?"

"More like _brother-in-law." _

She blew him a kiss. "Ish-bo!"

"That's a new one." Ashley mused. "I like it."

Abby tugged at my mantilla, so I took it off and gave it to her. She held it up to her nose and sniffed it, memorizing my scent like a newborn baby does with its mother. I always smell like oranges.

"Does it smell good?"

She nodded and hugged it to her chest. "Way good!"

"Go ahead and keep it."

Abby was tickled by this and enlisted Ashley's help to tie it around the neck of her peacock. While this was happening, I could feel the baby squirming around in a frenzy, cluing me in that he or she was hungry. My sister noticed me massaging my baby bump.

"Icky tummy?"

"Actually no. There's a baby in there."

Instead of getting excited about the baby, she frowned and blew the biggest raspberry she could at my belly before sliding off my lap and onto the floor. Tobias was right behind her.

"It's okay." Ashley put an arm around my shoulders as I tried not to cry. "She's been going through a lot of changes recently, so the last thing she knows how to do is deal with someone who's a lot littler than her. I'm sure she'll come around to liking the baby on her own terms, like how Alyssa Ryan was with Thomas and Elliana for awhile."

I nodded, making a note on my phone to call Jenny later. When I finished, I saw another note and looked up at my husband.

"Babe, do you remember what today is? I forgot because of all the drama, but I just remembered!"

"Toby gets his cast removed today!"

Excited, we both looked over at the kids to see Tobias explaining in Toddlerspeak to Abby about his cast and why she had it. Abby seemed to understanding him, but he could see that she was getting tired of standing, so in the ultimate act of politeness for someone his age, he opened the door to his wagon and helped her in, making sure she still had Argos the peacock before sitting across from her and shutting the door behind him. The kids gave us expectant looks.

"Time-a go?" Tobias chirped hopefully.

"That's right!" I told him as Ashley pulled me to my feet. "Guess what, though?"

"Wassat, mama?"

"Your cast is going to come off today!"

His little face lit up with joy. "Time-a do that now?"

"Not yet." Ashley informed him. "First, we have to get some food. Are you and Abby hungry?"

They both nodded.

"Where do you want to go?" (I had a feeling I already knew the answer) "Remy's?"

Tobias shook his head. "No go-a Wemy's!"

"Oh, really? Then where to?"

"Sayna Wiley, p'ease!"

"Alexis, who's he talking about?" Ashley questioned.

"He's talking about Shayna Riley, Krista's mom. She's a total sweetheart and runs The Busker's Holiday."

"Isn't that where you ran to when…?"

I nodded again, not wanting to remember what he was referring to. "I think she'd want to meet the rest of my family, and I want to see her, anyway."

Ashley opened the door for me as I exited into the hallway, pulling the wagon behind me. "Then just tell me where it is, and I'll make sure we get there!"

As we went out to the main lobby, Tobias took it upon himself to amuse Abby, and she loved it, especially when he started to play peek-a-boo with her.

Unfortunately, The Busker's Holiday was closed when we got there.

"Huh." I moved closer to examine the windows. "It's only Tuesday. Most places would close on a Saturday or Sunday."

"It says here that the place is open every weekday _except _Tuesdays because it's their baking day." Ashley was reading from a sign on the door. "Bummer."

Suddenly we heard the sounds of two little kids beginning to sniffle, as if they were about to cry. We knelt down in front of the wagon to talk to them.

"Wanna see Sayna!" Tobias rubbed his eyes with his fists. "Wanna see Sayna, p'ease!"

"See *hic* Say'a!" hiccupped Abby.

"We'll have to come back tomorrow." Ashley told them patiently. "I also want to see her, but the place is closed."

Now Abby looked puzzled. "Wha' tha'?"

"No go inside." Tobias explained sagely.

"Oh…"

I smothered my laughter at their exchange. "Come on, Munchkins! Let's get back in the car and go to Remy's. _They're _open today."

Abby and Toby shook their heads no.

"But we all need to eat because we have something super important to do later on." I tried. "We can't get food from a place that isn't open."

Tobias' curiosity got the better of him. "What we do?"

"We have to go the doctor because today is the day your cast comes off!"

Both kids cheered happily.

"So let's move along and find a place that's open!"

They replied in tandem. "NO!"

"Tobias Noah and Abigail Jasmine, that is—"

I was interrupted when someone called my name.

"Alexis!"

I looked across the sidewalk as I got up and saw Krista and her husband, Gavin, approaching.

"Hey, guys!" I rested both of my hands in the small of my back to relieve some of the ache I was feeling. "We were just here to get some food, but we just saw the sign about the baking day."

"Gavin and I came to help her, but Ma would love to have all three of the Kerrigans helping, too."

Ashley and I raised our eyebrows at the invitation but didn't have a chance to say anything because that's when Gavin saw Abby and crouched down so he was level with her. Gavin's occupation is a construction company owner and he's middle aged, so one would think that with a description like that, a little kid might find him bland, but he's not. For a fifty-four year old man, he's in excellent shape and actually pretty muscular and fit because he runs four miles every day before leaving for work and we've seen him and his two kids, Jacob and Savannah, playing football in the park many times. At the most, I was expecting Abby to at least find him intimidating, but she didn't. She gave him a high five.

"What's your name?" he asked her.

"Abby." She trilled sweetly and then pointed to me. "Lessie my sissy."

The Rileys raised their eyebrows at us.

"Alexis, you called me the other day about what happened with Arjan," began Krista, her lilting Irish accent immediately had the kids' attention. "But you didn't say anything about a sister besides Lily Joy or Johanna."

I laughed hollowly. "That's because Abby is a surprise—"

"Understatement of the year, my love." Ashley mumbled.

"And we didn't know about her until today." I finished, elbowing Ashley in the arm for interrupting. "She's joined our family now."

"Kate, Rick, Molly and Seamus don't know?"

"Not yet, and it's going to be really strange, explaining, now that I think about it…"

"Strange or not, you said you and your family are hungry, so come on in!" Krista held the door open for us. "Ma will feed you because you're friends of the family, but she'll probably talk Abby and Toby into helping her bake a batch or two of cookies."

My kids heard this and perked up at the idea of a baking session. We decided to take Krista up on the offer and followed her inside. I parked the wagon behind the cash register but we walked slowly to the back kitchen because for the first time in ages, Tobias wanted to try walking with his cast on all because Abby had also made up her mind to walk, even though she's little and still getting the hang of it.

Just as Krista predicted, Shayna was delighted to have us at her shop, and she was particularly charmed by Abby, who was reduced to a bucket of giggles in less than five minutes. When both of my kids expressed their huger, Shayna happily made macaroni and cheese for them and lasagna for Ashley and me.

Afterwards, she asked the kids if they wanted to help her make some cookies and they were delighted by the idea, especially when Ashley and I gave them permission to do it. One thing that we noticed, though, was that Krista was taking a particular shine to Abby and Toby. We didn't mind, but it made us curious because Krista is usually a reserved person and doesn't show this kind of affection to most kids except her own. Gavin pulled us aside.

"Are you two wondering about Krista's attachment to the children?"

We nodded.

"Did you know that when she was married to her first husband, Zachary, they had another baby besides Jacob?"

"No." I confessed. "We know about Cooper and how he and Zachary died on September eleventh, but who was the other child?"

"A baby girl named Angel."

My husband spoke to our friend with caution. "What happened to Angel?"

"She had a heart defect and died in delivery as a full-term stillborn. Today would have been her fifteenth birthday."

I looked over at Abby, who was on a stepstool at the countertop and standing on her tiptoes to see better. She was completely engrossed in a project with Krista, Shayna and Tobias.

"Does that mean when your wife sees Abby, she's reminded of Angel, and what could've been?"

"You got it."

"And Cooper was really young… when Krista sees Toby is she reminded of him?"

"Right again." He nodded. "I could hardly get her out of bed today, and the same thing's probably going to happen when Cooper's birthday comes. Jake and Savvy understand that this is a really hard day, but I know that Krista is going to sleep well tonight."

"Because it's like she got a visit from two little angels." Ashley realized. "I know exactly what you mean because we lost my little brother a few years back. Having a son named after him is definitely like having a visit from an angel all the time."

I smiled kindly at Gavin. "Well, I'm glad that my son and my sister can help ease your wife's aching heart. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to help them bake some cookies."

The guys excused me and I joined the others. The kids were happy to have my help and eventually, it was time to leave for the hospital. Tobias and Abby didn't fuss because they got to take home a bag of cookies.

_One hour later, Saint Brigid's hospital _

We made it to the physical therapy room where our appointment was, and we were waiting for Doctor Morgan, the orthopedic surgeon in charge of Tobias' case because she had set his leg in the cast. She had also introduced us to Tobias' physical therapist, Doctor Iris Ravensdale.

She was waiting with us because directly after the cast removal was Tobias' last round of physical therapy.

Abby had spotted the toys on the far wall almost immediately and engaged Ashley in a game of pick up soccer with a ball she'd found. Tobias, meanwhile, was perched on top of one of the tables and swinging his legs over the edge. Iris and I were watching him.

"Are you excited to get your cast off, Toby?" Iris asked. "When I was a little girl and had to get my cast off, I was totally excited."

"Play socca af'er?"

"We call it football where I come from, but yes, I played in the park with my family after."

Tobias looked at me now. "Go park t'day?"

"Tomorrow, I promise. We're going to see my daddy and my mama and everyone later to celebrate."

"See Abby, too?"

"Of course!"

Tobias clapped his hands together and looked back at Iris. "Es baby esscited?"

Iris laughed and ran her hands over her six-month belly. "She's totally excited and has been kicking me all day. She's cheering for you."

Tobias blushed and blew kisses of thanks to Iris' belly, but his cheerfulness took a nosedive when he saw Doctor Morgan's plaster cutting scissors.

"NO, NO, NO! NOT GON' DO IT!"

He was perched in the middle of the table, like a little tree frog, but he was red in the face and sobbing. Abby was leaning against me, watching with us while Ashley tried to talk Toby down.

"It's going to be super quick!"

"NO! SCISSORS _SHARP!" _

Ashley sighed, but perhaps on a burst of inspiration, Abby turned to me and tapped my belly.

"Lessie?"

"Yes?"

She pointed to the table. "Uppie!"

Curious to see what her plan was, I hoisted her up and she scrambled towards Tobias, hugging him. She held on tight and soothed him. (They're not even two yet, and she's already a doting auntie) Abby's method seemed to work because he calmed down right away and cooperated with Doctor Morgan. My sister sat next to her nephew the whole time and gave him a huge hug when it was all over.

A few minutes later, my family, Iris and I were at the parallel bars that Tobias used for walking practice. Because Abby had never seen a physical therapy session, she insisted on standing between Ashley and I at the opposite end of the bars. As a result, she cheered Toby on the loudest.

"You good! 'Mon, Toby! 'Mon!"

Tobias made it all the way to us with a steady gait and without falling. When he realized, he beamed.

"Mama, daddy! I do it, I do it!"

"Good job!" Ashley fed the birds with him. "I'm so proud of you!"

Tobias trilled happily and then looked over at me, noticing my tears. "Mama, why sad eyes?"

"It's okay; these are happy tears. I'm crying because I'm also proud of you."

He kissed me on the cheek. "All better!"

Abby toddled over, beckoning. "Play socca now! 'Mon!"

He took off running after her when she ran towards the toys, laughing happily. Tobias hasn't been able to run at all since he broke his leg.

Ashley and I looked at Iris to see what she thought, and she gave our son a glowing review. "Tobias is fully recovered now! He's perfect!"

We were pleased to hear this and continued to watch the kids play with each other before getting them ready to leave. When we were finally on the road, I was in the backseat, holding Abby in my lap and thinking about a few things as my husband drove.

"Mister Collins told us that Abby's things and the items left to her are being boxed up today, but they won't get to our place until tonight. She needs a few things to tide her over until then."

"Okay, we'll head out to the mall for a little bit." he turned down a street that would lead us there. "She needs a car seat, too. It looks like we'll be spending some time at Babies-R-Us."

"And since we're going to have _three _small kids under our roof for a long, _long _time, some bigger purchases we should start considering are a triple stroller and a minivan."

Ashley groaned at this idea.

Our trip to the mall went on for a few hours and the kids thoroughly enjoyed it although they were both asleep by the time we got to the loft. We'd arrived early because we wanted to introduce Abby to our families before the rest of our friends arrived.

"So who all is in the loft right now?" Ashley asked as we disembarked the elevator with the two snoozing toddlers. "It's only five-fifteen, and everyone should be here around six-thirty."

"It should be mom, dad, Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna. Gram and Serenity are probably there with your parents, too."

"Okay, but what about LJ?"

"She has an after school program today that's keeping her late. The school bus will be dropping her off soon."

"So they know we're coming, but do they know about Abby?"

I shook my head as we approached the door and rand the doorbell. "Nope. I just told them we had a little surprise."

"This is gonna be good."

Gram opened the door to let us in and was definitely surprised to see Abby, as were the rest of the adults in the room. After mom reassured us that Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna were asleep in their nurseries upstairs, she took point on the conversation.

"Alexis, this is more than 'just a little surprise' like you said on the phone. Who is this little darling?"

I shifted Abby so she wasn't lying directly on top of my baby bump, and so they could see her better. She snuggled up against me a second later, not liking that her sleep had been disturbed.

"Everybody, this is Abigail, and she's turning two in November."

"Who are her biological parents?" dad asked.

"Arjan and Meredith."

Dad suddenly looked like he'd had all of the wind knocked out of him. He also looked really hurt, something I'd been anticipating, given his history with Meredith.

"Are you sure about that, pumpkin?"

"Completely."

Molly spoke up. "Alexis, dear, everybody in this room knows the truth about Arjan by now, so why don't you start at the beginning about where Abigail came from?"

It was time to collect LJ from the bus by the time we finished telling the story, so mom went to her. My son and sister woke up a few minutes later, and Tobias was thrilled to see where he was, but once I reminded Abby and introduced her to the others, she immediately asked for the rest of our siblings.

The only one of them who didn't take to Abby right away was LJ. She took one look at Abby, gave a frightened cry and ran into the office to hide. Mom and dad started to go after her, but I realized it would be better if it was just me.

I found LJ sobbing on the couch and she moved closer to me when I sat down.

"What's the matter, princess? We all got so confused when you ran out, and I think Abby is extra confused."

_"So? _She looks like _mommy." _

"That's because we all have the same mommy." I explained patiently.

"But not the same daddy." LJ's tone became scathing. "Lexie, I _know _that we don't gots the same daddy, but I saw Abby and I just kinda… _knew." _

(For a five-year-old, LJ is incredibly observant)

"She _is _our sister, but it's just unfortunate that she looks like mommy."

LJ ignored this. "I don't like her, though. I don't."

"Why?"

"She makes me _differenter _than you."

"How's that?"

"Me and you are _halfway _sisters, but you and her are _full _sisters. I'm angry that mommy had Abigail and didn't tell us! THAT WAS WRONG!"

LJ wiped her tears and got to her feet, glaring at me as if daring me to challenge her. I didn't.

"We can't change the secrets that mommy kept, but I do know that you can go back in there and change Abby's mood. She's only one-and-a-half, you know, and she was really looking forward to meeting you. Guess what?"

"What?"

"Abby calls you 'Illy' because she can't say Lily or LJ."

The little girl struggled to conceal her amusement. "Fine. I'll play with her until my friends come, but that doesn't mean she's my buddy, all right?"

"Okay."

I followed her as she exited the room. It was clear that she was very jealous of Abby or at least just angry that she turned up out of the blue, but at least she was willing to be civil. The second Abby saw LJ, she babbled happily and sat down in her lap with a book for them to look at together. LJ didn't even reject her.

_Later that night, Kerrigan apartment _

The rest of the night passed by in a blur, but when we got home, Tobias was out cold and Abby was still going strong because she was happy to see her belongings from Arjan's place, especially the record player and photo album. Abby turned out to be a huge fan of Florence and the Machine, as well as The Beatles. She and I had an impromptu dance party but to get her calm when we were done, we snuggled in my bed together to look at the Van Giersberg family photo albums. Argos the peacock was next to Abby.

(If I hadn't sent Ashley out on a cravings run, he would have been looking with us)

At the moment, Abby had the page open to a picture of her and Arjan taken before he had gotten sick. The picture was taken in a studio and Abby looked like she'd been giggling hysterically because of something Arjan had said or done. Either way, they both looked like they were having a field day.

"Miss. Wan' back."

"I really wish you could have him back."

My baby sister looked profoundly sad and happy at the same time, but what she did next was deeply touching: she wrapped her tiny arms around my distended belly in a hug.

"Lessississ?"

"What's up, buttercup?"

She gave me another hug. "You cool."

"I'm cool?"

"Yep. Supa cool."

I hugged her back. "Thanks, Abby."

She leaned closer to me. "Turn-a page?"

"Sure." I turned the page and pointed to a new picture. "Look at this one!"

Abby began to babble away, narrating a story to me and she was thrilled that I was asking her questions about it.

Just like that, I knew that my sister and I had forged a bond to last us a lifetime.


	24. Kindergarten Confessions

**This chapter has an idea that I've been dying to try for ages—an event told from LJ's perspective!**

_June 1, next day _

_Castle loft, LJ's Point of View _

The day after Lexie and Ashley came to the loft to introduce us to Abby, I woke up grumpy.

Lexie and me have our special thing, even though there's Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna now. Me and Lexie have been through some super scary things together, and she's like a second mama, that's how much I love her.

Now there's Abby.

Why did mommy have to keep her a secret? It's wrong to keep super huge secrets like that!

I think that Lexie and Ashley adopted her, which means she's gonna be around for the rest of my life!

NO!

What if… what if Lexie likes Abby more than me? What if she doesn't want to play or have sleepovers anymore?

(That makes my tummy feel funny just like the idea of mama having another baby does)

I got through the morning okay until Jameson accidentally spilled his orange juice on my lap. He said sorry like a million times, but it still made me grumpy, especially when mama started fussing at me to change my skirt. I did, but because of that, I forgot my lunch and cried about it on the bus.

Mean ol' Dallas Baker made fun of me all the way there, but Shinju and Nozomi sat next to me and told him to shove off. He did.

Everything was okay at school until Dallas' twin brother did something.

"Hey, where are my crayons?"

"Inside voice, LJ." Miss Taylor warned. "Where was the last place you had them?"

"Right here!" I patted my desk space in front of me. "Miss Taylor, they were right _here!" _

All of a sudden, I heard a huge burp from the kid in the seat next to me. It was Dallas' dummy brother, Rio. He was grinning evilly and I yelled at him before Miss Taylor said anything.

"RIO BAKER, YOU _ATE _MY _CRAYONS?" _

"No, Carrottop! I ate one and me and Dallas hid the rest!"

"I have _sixty-five _and they're the _sparkly _kind!"

Now the whole class was watching, but before Miss Taylor said anything, there was a knock on the door and we all saw my cousin Justice in the doorway.

"Uh, Miss Taylor? I gotta collect LJ, Ezekiel and Moses for reading class now. Is that okay?"

"Sure Justice." She turned to me and my friends. "Go ahead and go."

We left really quickly, grabbed our backpacks and went outside. The boys walked a little ahead of us, but Justice walked with me.

"Bad day?"

"An _ultra _bad day, and it's not even lunchtime yet! I go home right after!"

"Wanna tell your cool cousin Justice everything that happened?"

I told her everything, but we were late to reading class, and I was feeling a little sad, still. Instead of getting angry at us, our teacher, Miss Holly, was waiting for us by the classroom door, and she was looking worried.

(I like Miss Holly, though. She's very nice and so, so pretty. She's really tall, just like mama, and even has kind of darker skin and chocolate-colored hair, but her eyes are blue, and her hair is short. Also, Miss Holly smells like strawberries all the time)

"What's going on, you two?" Miss Holly got down on our level.

"LJ's been having an ultra bad morning." Justice explained. "You know Dallas and Rio?"

"Yes."

"Rio ate one of LJ's crayons and he and Dallas hid the rest. LJ's crayons are the _sparkly _kind!"

Miss Taylor looked at me. "Boys can be icky and trust me, I know—I grew up with my dad and three brothers."

"Whoa…"

"Guess what I heard about Dallas and Rio?"

"After today, they're moving across the country!"

"Really?"

"Really." She got back to her feet and smiled at me. "Do you feel better?"

"Yeah!" I hugged her around her waist. "Thanks, Miss Holly! You're the best!"

I ran inside the classroom and was extra thankful that Justice, Nozomi, Zeke, Mo, Raja and even Inga Thiessen and Savvy Riley are at my table because they make me laugh a lot.

This really zipped by because my friends cheered me up, and also because Auntie Jenny was there, taking notes. She teaches in the other building, but she's in charge of the reading program, so I guess she has to come visit every once in awhile…

There was no trouble until recess, which is always right after Miss Holly's class. The playground was right outside her classroom, but I was outside for like ten seconds when Dallas and Rio turned up and stole my backpack.

"HEY! THAT'S MINE!"

"You want it?" Dallas climbed up on top of the nearest picnic table. "Come and get it!"

Justice, Mo, Zeke, Nozomi, Raja, Inga and Savvy watched me as I climbed onto the table. Jubilation and Shinju were also there, but Rio was on the other side of the table.

"Give it back, Dallas! Now!"

"Why should I, Carrottop?"

"I hate that name! My name is Lily Joy Stana Beckett-Castle! My mama is a police captain, and my daddy is a writer!"

"Rio said that you gots a bazillion siblings!"

"Nuh-uh; I only gots five! I gots Lexie, Jamie, Jed, Joey and Abby! All you gots is Rio!"

He looked surprised that I said something bad about his twin but he didn't say anything.

"DALLAS BAKER, YOU ARE A _NINCOMPOOP!" _

I heard Savvy go, "Oooo! Lily said _poop!" _before everyone giggled. That gave me courage and I moved towards Dallas.

"BIG FAMILIES ARE STUPID!" he yelled.

"NO THEY AREN'T!"

I ran towards Dallas to get my backpack and missed.

I landed on the ground and it really, really hurt!

It hurt so bad that I started screaming and crying. Missy Holly and Auntie Jenny came running really quickly. I don't know what Auntie Jenny did, but Miss Holly got down beside me.

"What hurts?"

"My arm! I-I want my daddy and mama!"

"Oh, sweetie, I'll make sure that you see them, but I need you to be a big girl and let me carry you to the office."

"I-it'll hurt more!"

"LJ, I'll do everything I can to make sure it doesn't hurt, but I'm so sorry if it does. Do you trust me?"

"Yeah…"

"Then hang on!"

She picked me up and carried me to the front office. Lots of things happened after that, but we sat in the backroom and Miss Holly put an icepack on my arm. She even let me lay with my head on her lap.

"Miss Holly, it hurts!"

"I know, but you have to lie still."

"Where's my Zeke?"

"He's guarding the door in case Dallas and Rio come."

My tummy flip-flopped again. "It's Dallas' fault! He took my bag!"

"I believe you."

I looked up at her, and sorta felt better. "Promise?"

"I promise."

My tummy did another flip-flop. "I'm gonna barf!"

In the blink of any eye, Miss Holly found a bucket for me and I barfed into it. Right when there was nothing left, Auntie Jenny hurried in with some ambulance guys and also… mama, and she was in her work clothes.

"Mama, what are you doin' here?"

"Auntie Jenny called, baby Bird, and I came straight from work. Daddy's gonna meet us at the hospital."

"Please can Miss Holly come?"

"I'll come visit you later." My teacher told me as she lifted me from the bed and onto the stretcher-thingy that the ambulance guys brought. "I always keep my word."

I nodded because the pain was distracting me. It really hurt, but my arm was getting a little hard to feel now. One of the ambulance guys showed me the medical-mask he was holding.

"LJ, do you know what this does?"  
"It helps you breathe. I useded one once…"

"That's one thing that they're used for, but they're also used to help you sleep."

I giggled, but not long because it hurt to laugh. "Ow…"

"Do you want to take a nap so you don't have to wrry about your arm for a little while?"

"Yeah!"

"Then all you have to do is begin counting. I bet you'll be asleep before you get to ten!"

"But I can count to _thirty!" _

"Seriously?" he asked.

"Seriously!"

"Then why don't you start now?"

The last thing I remembered was counting.

"One… two… three… f-fourrrr…"


	25. Hospital Stay, Part One

**Note to myboygeorge: This one is for you, and I think you know why ;)**

**Note to everybody else: Get ready to laugh :D**

_Kate's Point of View _

Despite LJ's hardheadedness, she was out cold before she could even get to five and once the paramedics got her secured in the ambulance, I drove behind in my police cruiser. I used my badge to get into the Emergency Room, but I became too much of an anxious mama, so I was banished to the corridor and told to go to the waiting room. On my way there, I checked my phone on a whim and saw that I had three new texts.

The first one was from Jenny: _Just talked to Holly and gave her your number. She'll be around sometime in the evening. Be on the lookout for Holly Prince-Corbeau. _

I sent her a reply and opened the next one, and it was from Alexis: _Dad just told us about LJ. We're coming ASAP. See you soon. _

The last text came from Castle: _We're in the waiting room in the children's ward because LJ is being brought here later. Alexis just came with Toby and Abby. Where are you? _

I replied quickly: _I'm down by the ER. See you in a bit. _

I put away my phone and boarded the elevator, hitting the button that would take me up to the children's ward. When I was shown to the waiting room, I was immediately greeted by Jameson.

"Hey, sport!" I picked him up and gave him a kiss. "How are you doing?"

He looked at me with wide eyes. "Illy in hops'al! No like!"

"She got hurt."

"Sad." He paused, thinking. "Hug? Kissies?"

"When she's feeling better, I promise."

Jameson didn't have anything against that, so he snuggled closer to me when I sat down in a chair next to Castle. I greeted my husband with a quick kiss and when I saw he was holding the twins, I took them in my lap, too.

"Is it hard to hold all three of them at once?" Alexis asked, rubbing her baby bump. "Holding three small kids is definitely something that I'm going to have to get used to in six months."

"It's hard at first, but you get used to it." I looked around. "No Ashley?"

She shook her head. "He got tied up with work and is with Melissa and Flora, doing a wedding in Tribeca."

She seemed sad that her husband couldn't here right now, so she moved across the room to where Toby and Abby were ogling at the clownfish in the nearby fish tank before I could say anything, so I turned to my own husband.

"The last I saw of LJ, she was in the ER."

"Did they kick you out, or something?"

"I was in 'hysterical mama' mode."

"I don't blame you, Kate; no parent is of sound mind when one of their kids is hurt."

I winced as a sudden childhood memory came rushing back. "Rick, when I was LJ's age, I broke my wrist after a fall off a jungle gym. My wrist got so swelled up that they had to keep me in the hospital overnight."

"To wait for the swelling to go down?"

"Exactly. I don't remember everything that happened, but now I'm wondering…" my voice trailed off.

"What if that happens now?" he supplied.

"Yes. What will we do?"

"We'll wait on Lily nonstop and hold her when she cries because even though she'll be on pain meds, I'm sure she's going to be miserable."

A new thought suddenly occurred to me. "What does Lily do when she's feverish?"

"She talks nonsense because the fever makes her hallucinate. Sometimes she sleepwalks."

I raised my eyebrows at him because he was clearly remembering the last time LJ had been sick and was laughing a little.

"And what does she do when just about any kind of medicine is in her system?"

The smile slid off his face. "The same thing… oh, God…"

"We're in for a crazy ride, Kitten…"

Castle just shook his head and resigned himself to thumbing through a parenting magazine because he didn't have anything else to do. We were eventually joined by Martha, Serenity, Amaya, and even dad and baby Keiko. It was close to an hour before we got any news, but I was happy when the Doctor Morgan came to the waiting room to update us, but I became concerned when she pulled Castle and I to the side, away from the others.

"LJ's arm is too swollen right now to even see where the trauma is, so her arm is in a sling right now. We need to keep her overnight."

A knot of dread formed in the pit of my stomach. "Does she want us?"

"She was not in the best of moods when I left, but I'm sure she'd love to see her parents. I'll show you the way, but I strongly advise that just the two of you come for a visit right now."

"Is she really that upset?"

"I'm afraid so, Mrs Castle."

I glanced back at the others and back at the Doctor Morgan. "What about them? What about my other kids?"

"Except for Doctor Beckett, they all have to come back at six when visiting hours begin."

Castle and I nodded in understanding and quickly sorted things out. Alexis happily volunteered to camp out at the loft to keep an eye on Jameson and the twins so that Castle and I could both stay with LJ, and Martha and Serenity immediately said that they'd tag along to help out.

Doctor Morgan showed us to LJ's room and then left us to our own devices. LJ was by herself, propped up in her bed with lots of pillows. She was out of her school uniform and in a hospital gown. Her left arm was in the sling and she looked like she had been crying.

"Hey, Baby Bird." I greeted her as we came over to her bed. "Daddy and I are here now. Is it okay if we sit?"

She nodded but started crying. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"For what? Auntie Jenny told us what happened, and it wasn't your fault. We believe you?"

"None of what happened was your fault." Castle reiterated.

"It kinda _is, _though. I gotta tell the truth."

"We're listening."

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I challenged Dallas on the table 'cause I remembered something mommy said once."

Castle and I exchanged nervous looks because LJ has to be in a very dark place to mention Meredith.

"What did she say?"

"That you hafta face your bullies, no matter what."

"Why did she tell you that?" Castle asked. _"When _did she tell you that?"

Surprisingly, LJ remembered. "She tolded me after this guy came to visit us in California."

"Did this guy do something?"

"He hit mommy when they were fighting, and after that, mommy had lots of bruises and tolded me that the babies were in her tummy. We cuddled in her bed and she said to always face your bullies. What?"

Castle and I had both gone very quiet, mostly because from what we had gathered when we first met LJ, she'd been slightly abused and couldn't stand to be in the same room with Meredith. What LJ was telling us now sounded like the only good memory she has of her bio-mother.

"Nothing, Lily Joy." I soothed. "We're glad you told us."

(Beside me, Castle was nodding in agreement)

"That's good 'cause I'm super hungry! I lefted my lunchbox at home 'cause Jamie spilled his orange juice on me!" She burst into frustrated tears. "The doctors didn't give me the kind of medicine that makes goofy yet 'cause it'll make me sleepy, so they gave me something else, but it keeps making me cry! I don't wanna be sleepy _or _cry 'cause I'm starving!"

Castle was immediately on his feet. "Okay, Lily—I'll go get you something from the cafeteria. Does a burger with fries and a milkshake sound good?"

"Please can it be a chocolate milkshake?"

"Of course!" he kissed LJ on the top of her head and headed towards the door. "I'll be right back!"

When he was gone, I sat next to LJ, careful not to jostle her injury and when she made herself comfortable, she leaned against me and asked if we could watch cartoons for awhile.

That's exactly what we did.

_Several hours later, 7:15 PM _

We got LJ to sleep again after she ate because she was put on the correct medication. She slept, but we knew the painkillers were making her goofy because she woke up twice during her nap, both times talking in her sleep about having to direct a little choir of magical camel fairy babies. Under the full effect of the painkillers, she complained about not being able to order enough choir stands from her catalog because she'd misplaced it.

(The funny thing about LJ's hallucinations is that she'll have full conversations and not remember anything later)

The first time she told us about her lack of music stands, I suggested that she look inside a hollow log since she had informed us that she was in a sunny meadow, and the second time, Castle played along and 'found' her music equipment catalog and handed it to her. This gesture satisfied LJ and she fell asleep again, conveniently waking up when visiting hours began.

LJ received many visitors, but the most surprising were Caitlan and Kai. We were surprised to see them, but Caitlan—who is now fourteen weeks pregnant with twins—told us that she'd heard about what happened from Madison, who'd heard it from Jenny and apparently, Kai had been nearby and insisted that they bring LJ a present to cheer her up.

LJ was extremely flattered by the idea and let him come up on her bed as long as he promised to be careful. Kai promised, and you could tell from the his constant giggles and turning red that the three-year-old was enamored with LJ, even though she's two years older than him.

"I gotted a present for you, LJ!" he showed her a gift bag he'd brought with him. "Wanna open it?"

"How about you hold the bag still since I only have one good arm?"

"Okay! I do that!"

Kai held it still while LJ reached in and retrieved a fluffy stuffed camel toy, neon purple in color.

"Oooo! He's so cute and cuddly, Kai!" LJ squealed, giving her new toy a one-armed squeeze. "What's his name?"

"Your stufficamel's name Humphrey."

"What's a stufficamel?"

Kai held up his own stuffed camel. "It mean 'stuffed camel' in _German." _

LJ was impressed by this. "Wow, that's really cool!"

Kai giggled but gave a huge yawn at the same time. "I sleepy LJ…"

Caitlan got up from her chair and approached the bed. "And now it's time for you to say goodbye, little man. We need to go home and get you ready for bed!"

The little boy was too sleepy to argue and looked over at LJ. "Please to have a kiss?"

"Come closer, silly! I can't reach you all the way over there!"  
Kai crawled over and giggled again when LJ gave him a peck on the cheek. (He also turned bright red) When he was leaving with his mother, LJ called after him.

"Thanks for the camel, Kai!"

Much to LJ's dismay, her medication started to wear off after their visit and her doctor increased the dosage, meaning that she got extremely goofy from her medicine again. It also meant that she was hallucinating about her camel fairy babies again, except that this time, they all had names. (Keep in mind that LJ was fully awake but under the influence of strong painkillers) Along with Humphrey the neon purple camel, there was also Christina, Gretchen, Beyoncé, Idina, Melanie, Rivers, Brian and Steven.

Castle humored LJ again and I started to, but I received a text from an unfamiliar number: _Mrs Castle, this is Holly Prince-Corbeau, LJ's reading teacher from school. I've been tied up all day with lesson prep and family things all day, but I'm done and in the main hospital lobby. Where is LJ's room? _

I composed a quick text and set my phone down. Castle noticed.

"Did you just get a text?"

"Yeah. It was from LJ's reading teacher, Holly Prince-Corbeau. She promised LJ earlier that she'd come for a visit and she's on her way up right now."

"This will be interesting, seeing as our daughter is fully ensconced in her own version of _Alice In Wonderland_..."

Holly found the room about five minutes later, and besides her purse, we saw that she was carrying a gift bag.

"I hope it's okay that I brought her a little something." She said nervously. "You heard about what happened with LJ's crayons, right?"

I nodded. "We did."

"Well, her homeroom teacher and I recovered them, but I got her some new crayons and an activity book. I know she's only got one good arm, but—"

"It's okay, Holly." I said gently. "LJ will love it."

I'd heard once from Jenny that a few of her colleagues are big Nikki Heat fans, and that Holly is one of them, so it must've really tripped her up, being in the same room as the inspiration for the character, as well as the character's creator. Holly eased up at my reassurance, and that's when LJ saw her.

"Miss Holly, Miss Holly! You came to see me!"

She sat next to LJ, smiling. "That's right, but I'm sorry it took so long."

LJ shrugged. "Teachers are busy people, just like detectives. My mama is a police captain at her precinct, you know."

"Yeah, I do, and I understand because _my _mama was a veterinarian. She's retired now, but she was always really busy and travelled a lot."

"Before I met Katie, my mommy travelled lots." LJ was thoughtful. "She tooked me to Hawaii one time and we saw volcanoes. Ever been to Hawaii?"

"When I got married, my husband and I had our honeymoon in Hawaii."

"Miss Holly, what's a vet'narian?"

"A doctor who takes care of sick animals."

"Miss Holly, how many brothers do you have? I have two. What's your daddy's job?"

"I have one brother named Elijah. My papa's name was Oleksandr, and his parents were from the Ukraine, in Europe."

"I think my mama's mama was from some place like that. Is your papa still around?"

"No, I'm afraid. He was a firefighter, but he passed away."

LJ offered her sympathy, despite her state of mind. "Sorry about that…"

Holly smiled. "It's okay, sweetie, but guess what?"

My daughter perked up at this and was delighted to receive a new box of twelve sparkle crayons and a jumbo activity book. We watched as she and Holly colored a picture together and LJ was one hundred percent gone by this time because the painkillers were making her goofier than ever. Holly humored her.

"LJ, can you tell me a story about Humphrey?"

"Me and him were leading a choir of magical camel fairy babies. Please pass the brown crayon."

Holly obliged and continued coloring. "Do the camel fairy babies have names?"

"Christina, Gretchen, Beyoncé, Idina, Melanie, Rivers, Brian and Steven. They're practicing Edelweiss, from _The Sound of Music_, but they're not now."

"Why's that?"

"They're having a camel roller derby."

"What's a camel roller derby?"

"It's when you put your little camels inside a plastic ball and roll 'em all down a hill. Whoever comes in first wins. There's no second place or third place."

"Who oversees the derby?"

"Holly the Fairy Lady. She looks just like you."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh." LJ set her crayon down while Holly lined up the rest of them on the bed tray. "The picture's all done!"

(It was a generic picture of a coral reef)

"I like pretty fish scenes like this, LJ. Do you?"

"Yep!"

Holly glanced at her watch to see what time it was. "I have to go home to my family now, but I'll see you back at school in a few days!"

LJ gave her a one-armed hug. "Okay, Miss Holly! I'm so happy that you came!"

Holly returned the hug and got to her feet. "And by the way, Dallas and Rio are still moving to California, but I know they definitely got in trouble."

LJ breathed a sigh of relief. "Good."

Her teacher left, but less than five minutes later, Alexis called Castle and asked him to come home because she was exhausted from watching her siblings all day (even though she'd had help) and was ready to crash in her old room. Castle promised her that he'd be right there and then hung up and got ready to go. LJ pouted about his departure but quickly got over it when I told her that I was going to stay with her and take tomorrow off so I could be with her as long as she needed to stay in the hospital.

"Mama," she said at one point as we looked through a picture book from a nearby bookshelf. "I had an ultra bad day today, but it's getting better."  
I pulled her close to me and she snuggled up instinctively.

"I'm so glad to hear that, Lily Joy. I'm so glad."


	26. Hospital Stay, Part Two

**Note to Stanatic 13: once again, I see your notes and suggestions. You'll see an answer in a few chapters ;)**

_Next morning _

Neither LJ or I slept well during the night.

Thanks to the painkillers, she kept waking up every few hours, confused. The only way I could get her to sleep again was to sing her lullaby after lullaby. She found them very soothing, but my voice became hoarse in the process.

As for me, I was plagued by nightmares of numerous about being pregnant but having miscarriages. It really freaked me out and I ended up calling Castle at four in the morning, crying my eyes out because I was so worried. He did his best to comfort me and we talked for two hours, but we were both still sad that he wouldn't be able to make it to the hospital right away because he had work-related obligations to fulfill and would be tied up for a few hours. This meant that we'd probably be home by the time he was done, anyway.

LJ was still on her painkillers, but she could tell that I'd also had a rough night because she remained surprisingly lucid so she could make sense to herself when she did her best to comfort me. It was a great effort for her, but she did it for me because she wanted to.

"Mama, what's the matter? You didn't sleep good?"

"Not really, LJ. I had some scary dreams."

"Well, you woke up so you can't be dreamin' right now," she gave my leg a pat, happy that I was cuddled up with her. "But it's gonna be okay 'cause you always have me to cuddle with. I mean, you also gots daddy to cuddle with, but when you cuddle with _him, _you tell us that a baby is in your tummy…"

"Daddy and I really like being parents, though."

LJ ignored that. "You can cuddle with daddy, and you can cuddle with me, Lexie, Jamie, Jed and Joey 'cause we're your babies and cuddling with your babies always makes you feel better, doesn't it?"

"It does."

"Can I tell you something serious, Katie?"

"Always."

"I'm so, so glad that you're my mama."

"And I'm so, so glad that you're my daughter. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good."

(LJ obviously remembers when we adopted her even though she was three at the time, and every now and then, she spontaneously tells me or Castle how happy she is that we're in her life)

We lay in the bed for ages, content to be with each other because LJ values cuddle time more than most kids do. In fact, we stayed like that until Doctor Morgan, the doctor who had handled Tobias' case entered the room. Tall with Hispanic features, shoulder length hair, big brown eyes and a winning smile, she looked like the kind of pediatric doctor that every little kid would love. The polka dotted dress and little toy dog sticking out of her lab coat pocket also helped.

"Hello, LJ." She chirped. "How are you and your mama doing?"

"We both had some weird dreams," (I propped LJ up against me and Doctor Morgan sat on the edge of the bed) "But we're better now."

"That's good. Are the new meds better?"

"Yeah, but mama told me that I sleeptalk."  
"About what?"

"Magical camel fairy babies." LJ pulled her new camel toy into her lap. "Mama said I also talk to Humphrey!"

"That's crazy!" Doctor Morgan laughed. "Can you tell me a story about Humphrey while I check on your arm?"

LJ agreed, making up a story on the spot as Doctor Morgan diligently eased LJ's arm out of the sling to examine it. I'm no medical doctor like she is, but I could see that some of the swelling had gone down, but it wasn't enough. Before long, Doctor Morgan was easing the injured limb back into the sling.

"I have some good news and some bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"

"Good news!"

"Your arm is getting better!"

"Hooray!"

"The bad news is that you have to stay here for a few more hours."

LJ started whining. "What? I have to stay even _longer? _I'm gonna go _crazy!" _

She began to cry in frustration but managed to wave goodbye to her doctor. Thankfully, LJ calmed down a few minutes later and asked me if she could watch a movie on my iPad. Once the program was running and the device was in her hands, I got off the bed and stretched.

"Are you gonna be okay by yourself?"

She nodded. "Gonna go look for coffee? Daddy says it's your favoritest drink and one of the first things he remembered about you was how you like it."

I blushed bright red. "Daddy's a really observant guy."

"You better hurry before all the good coffee's gone!"

She made sure Humphrey was on her lap before becoming absorbed in the program, so I kissed her on her forehead and made a quiet exit. I found a coffee kiosk eventually and was just securing a lid on a paper mug of coffee when I saw a familiar person—Amaya.

"What are you doing up here?"

"Good morning to you, too." My stepmother teased. "I came up four floors because I wanted to check on LJ, but you aren't looking so hot. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I do."

We sat down on a nearby bench and Amaya went into full-on mama bear mode. "What's going on, my dear?"

"I kept having nightmares about being pregnant and having awful miscarriages. Everything was on an endless loop!"

"Oh, Kate! I'm so sorry that those nightmares happened!" she put one hand around my shoulder, but kept her free hand resting on her twelve-week baby bump. "How are you feeling now?"

"Shaken. In every nightmare, I was really far along."

"Johanna miscarried when she was in her second and third trimesters, didn't she?"

"She did, so that means there's a chance it could happen to me during my next pregnancy!"

I took a few sips of coffee while Amaya spoke. "If I recall the stories correctly, both of your mother's miscarriages were tragic accidents. Not everybody gets in car accidents or slips in the bathtub, you know."

"I suppose, but there's another thing I haven't even told Rick."

"Oh?"

"I'm scared that our next baby might be born with a disability."

"Why's that?"

(Except for Keiko, all of Amaya's biological kids were born with disabilities)

"Because I was hospitalized _twice _when I was pregnant with the twins, both times very serious!"

Amaya moved a little closer. "Katie-girl, are you pregnant now?"

"No."

"Then there's no use in worrying now, but when you and Lily go home, you should definitely tell Rick. He'd want to know."

"What's true." I watched as she pulled away and started massaging her belly. "Is it weird, carrying someone else's baby?"

She shook her head, smiling. "Under normal circumstances, yes, but since it's for the Singhs, it's an honor."

"How long have you known them?"

"Since my first year of college. Tatsuya and Jalil were two years ahead of Juliana and I, but the guys were in the same law program together and they were already friends. Jules was my dorm roommate for years because we couldn't afford apartments yet."  
"So if you've been friends with Juliana and Jalil for this long, did you and Tatsuya have something to do with their first meeting?"

"Did we ever." The older woman smirked. "We set them up on a blind date."

"Were you two expecting them to fall in love?"

"Not at all, but we were delighted when they did and had many, many double dates with them. I was Juliana's maid of honor, and Tatsuya was Jalil's best man. You should ask about the wedding sometime."

"Why not now?"

She rose to her feet with me following suit and walking with her. "Because the kid inside me doesn't appreciate it when I sit still and because I want to see my grandbaby, maybe read her some stories."

"She'll love that, mom, but just so you know, her painkillers make her hallucinate."

"Excuse me?"

"You'll see, but don't say I didn't warn you."

We continued to make light conversation until we made it back to LJ's room. When she saw Amaya, she was very happy and they looked at books together until Amaya was paged to another floor to help with a patient. Doctor Morgan came to check on LJ a little while later, but reported that her arm was still too swollen to treat. LJ got so upset that she refused to talk to either one of us and we left her to her own devices.

Around this time, I was ready to hit a wall because I needed some decent sleep, and I wanted to see Castle and hold my babies.

Before I could mope around for too much longer, I received a text from Jenny: _Your hubby just sent a 911 text, saying you might want some help. I was the first one to respond. _

I answered quickly: _You're a total lifesaver, Jen, but don't you have a family to go home to?  
My hubby took all of the kids (incl. Flora and Francis) to see my parents in Flushing. I'm also on summer vacation right now :D _

_I guess I'll see you soon! _

Jenny arrived about twenty minutes later, immediately cheering LJ up with a few trinkets and a few decks of playing cards, but just as I was making myself comfortable in a chair to watch them, Jenny spoke to me in an authoritative tone.

"I don't want to see you back here for at least three hours."  
"I beg your pardon?"

"Rick said that you're exhausted, so I want you to go home and relax."

"Are you sure?"

"Don't make me tell you twice, and I think I can keep my goddaughter entertained for that long!"

I smiled gratefully and then explained the situation to LJ. She actually didn't mind me leaving because Jenny had already promised to help her color and how to teach her to play Uno.

_Three hours later _

During my stop at home, I was able to fully relax, and after my nap, Castle surprised me by joining me in the shower—the kids were out and about with Martha and Serenity by that point—and in our moment of privacy, I spilled all of my fears about another pregnancy to my husband and it turned out that he was also concerned, but promised that we'd face our fears together when the time came. He made me feel completely better by saying that so long as we took the proper precautions, there was no harm in practicing for another baby.

We left for the hospital a short time later and everybody—especially LJ—was happy to see that the swelling on her arm had finally gone down enough to have her injury properly examined via x-ray. However, she was really nervous, but I found a way to fix that by holding Humphrey the camel directly in front of LJ and using the toy as a puppet and using a cartoonish voice.

"Hi, LJ! Someone told me that you're scared about the x-ray!"

My daughter was extremely taken aback that Humphrey was 'talking' to her, and she burst into giggles. The only reason she went along with it was because her painkillers were making her loopy again.

"Humphrey, you sound like Gonzo the alien Muppet!"

"Would you rather I sound like Swedish Chef?"

"No! He freaks me out!"

"He freaks Katie out, too; always has."

LJ gaped at her toy. "You know Katie?"

"Yeah, and she told me that you're worried about the x-ray! How can I help?"

"Can I hold you while it happens?"

"Sure thing, angel!"

LJ giggled again and gave Humphrey a one-armed hug before looking up at the rest of us.

"I'm ready to go now!"

Upon LJ's request, Jenny tagged along to the x-ray room, so she was there when Doctor Morgan finally made the diagnosis: a broken arm and wrist. Jenny was also able to give LJ some words of understanding that Castle and I couldn't.

"When I was a teenager, LJ, I was in an accident and I also broke my wrist and arm."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh, and when I got home, I had a cast that went all the way up to my elbow."

"Did you get an icky tummy from the painkillers?"

"Yes, but I had lots of tea, chicken soup with rice and ice cream because they were easy to eat."

LJ looked up at Castle, eyes hopeful. "Daddy, can I have those things when we go home?"

"Sure, but we have to let Doctor Morgan set your arm in the cast and pick out a color to go over it before we can talk about going home."

LJ cooperated because the promise of going home was in the immediate future, and forty-five minutes later, we finally left. She was proudly sporting a lime green plaster cast with all of our names written on it in Sharpie.

LJ was overjoyed to be going home, but she was also hallucinating again.

What was she talking about?

Magical camel fairy babies.

Naturally.


	27. An Evening With The Singhs

_Same day, 6 PM _

_Saint Brigid's Hospital, Amaya's Point of View _

Juliana and Jalil are planning on telling Sonali, Parvati and Raja about Juliana's pregnancy today, but because of that, we're also going to tell them about my surrogate pregnancy. All of that to say, I'm tagging along with Juliana to her house after work, which is right now.

At the moment, we're waiting in the front courtyard of the hospital for Jim because he's taking Jeffery, Sophia, Tokutaro, Mitsunobu, Shinju, Nozomi and Bella to a special Broadway show. He's dropping her off with me since she wouldn't be able to last through anything that long.

My family is right around the corner, so my friend and I have just been talking about different things, namely her in-laws.

"What time are Sanjay and Aayushi coming, again?"

"Just after midnight, tonight, but I don't think that I'll be making it to the airport with Jalil to collect them because the baby tires me out."

"Do Sanjay and Aayushi know about the babies yet?"

She shook her head. "No, but they're going to be delighted. They'll spoil you, especially Aayushi."

"I've always liked that woman." I ran a hand over my tunic dress, framing my baby bump and looking down at it. "Easy, dearheart. I know you're there."

"My advance apologies if that kid starts bouncing off the walls a few months from now. None of my kids ever gave me break."

"The next six months are going to be very, _very _long."

"Beckett family at twelve o'clock."

I rose to my feet and greeted the kids with hugs and kisses as they all ran up. Looking around, I saw Jim and Keiko were still a little ways down the path, having been left in the dust. Oh, well.

"Hi, babies. How is everybody?"

"Excited!" Jeffery answered happily. "Sophia and I have never been to a Broadway show before!"

"Neither have _we!" _Tokutaro scoffed. "Not in the springtime, anyway."

"Truesay." Mitsunobu agreed with his twin. "We always go in the winter because that's when they have the fun shows!"

"That's 'cause _The Nutcracker _is _your _all-time favoritest production." Teased Shinju.

"It's a _girly _ballet!" Nozomi added.

Tokutaro turned beet red. "No, it's not!"

He was about to chase the girls, but Sophia, who is bigger, older, faster and stronger, stepped in between them.

"Cut it out, pipsqueaks! You all know better than to pick on each other, especially since one of you is twelve and two of you are seven!"

Tokutaro backed off immediately, but the twins lingered, so Sophia pounced on them.

"Who wants to tell mama and Juliana about why you two, me and Bella are wearing these pretty outfits?"

Upon a closer look at my daughters and granddaughter, I saw that they were dressed to the nines, but in a different way than the boys. Bella jumped in, speaking directly to Juliana.

"We've got our yutakas on!"

"Baby girl, I think you mean _yukata." _

"Yes! Do you like mine?"

Bella was dressed in a garment similar to a kimono, and it was light blue, decorated with a pink polka dot pattern. A wide bright yellow sash was around her waist and tied in the back. Bella's favorite sparkle ballet flats were on her feet and someone had styled her fiery red dreadlocks into a bun, securing it with a flowery hair tie. Sophia, Shinju and Nozomi were similarly dressed.

"I like your yukata very much." Juliana complimented the little girl. "You look like a princess!"

Bella giggled. "Gracias! Daddy and mama call me a princess all the time, so they gave me my first ever yukata 'cause daddy said that since I'm six and about to be a big sister, I should have something special to wear. Tía Sophie, Tía Shinju an' Tía Nozomi gots _their _yukatas on so I won't be alone!"

Juliana could tell that Bella was on a nervous ramble because of the Broadway outing, so she engaged her in a friendly conversation. Jim had finally caught up and he kissed me hello.

"I missed you today. It was long and slow."

"We also had a fun day, but somebody is eager to see you."

He passed Keiko to me and she babbled happily once she was in my arms and rested her little head on my shoulder, giving a contented sigh.

"Hey, Keiko." I cooed to my youngest daughter, kissing her wavy black hair. "It's going to be a fun night tonight!"

"Speaking of which," Jim sighed as he checked his watch. "I hate to go already, but the kids and I need to leave now if we want to make it to the show on time. I'll see you when you come home."

"Of course. We'll see you later."

Everybody said their goodbyes to me, the younger kids each giving my baby bump a pat. When they were gone, Juliana looked at me in surprise.

"They know?"

"Even Keiko has realized it, but the older kids figured it out one by one, but are keeping as mum as possible out of respect." I sat Keiko on my hip and tapped her on the nose, drawing a high-pitched giggle from her before looking back at Juliana. "Now come on—we have a train to catch!"

_One hour later _

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the Singh family townhouse in Chelsea, climbing the front steps.

"How is Keiko with pets?"

I shrugged. "She's pretty rough-and-tumble; I think she can handle it."

"Even with two dogs and a cat?"

"Jules, it's not like Gizmo and Widget are Bull Mastiffs, and I was there when you and Jalil bought King Kong. That little fluffball fell asleep in my hands, remember? And seeing as he's very mellow and clawless, there's not much to worry about."

She just nodded as she unlocked the front door and let me in, although it was like she was trying to reassure herself.

"You're right; it's all gonna be okay."

Juliana's family welcomed Keiko and me without question. Parvati was keen to introduce Keiko to her cat, and as she did, I saw Juliana and Jalil slip away upstairs.

I didn't have much time to think about them because King Kong was already making his way across the floor from his mistress' lap to where Keiko was propped up between my legs as I sat a few feet away from Parvati. Keiko had been playing with her toys, but once she caught sight of the kitten, she dropped everything and stared at him, eyes wide.

"What do you think, Keiko?" I asked her as the kitten hopped over my leg and sat in front of us, mewing loudly. "That's Parvati's cat!"

Keiko made a gesturing motion to the cat and much to her surprise, he came closer, giving her a sniff. I looked at Parvati, who'd been watching.

"Parvati, is King Kong always this good with babies?"

She nodded proudly. "He really, really likes Keiko! Look!"

The little coal-colored animal was now rubbing up against my daughter, purring, and Keiko was loving it. Right at that moment, Juliana and Jalil returned, shepherding Sonali and Raja. Juliana's dogs were at her heels.

Poor Juliana looked really nervous about everything, so Jalil took point.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why we're all here, but I promise it's for a good reason!"

"Your mama and papa's airplane is coming early?" Raja suggested hopefully.

"Sorry, but no."

"Then what?" He glanced at Sonali and Parvati. "Do _you _have ideas?"

They shook their heads and looked back at Jalil.

"Your mother is pregnant; she's going to have a baby!"

Sonali and Raja immediately fell silent, shocked at this news. Parvati, however, gave an excited squeal and was on her feet, happily hugging Juliana. The twelve-year-old was too thrilled for words.

"Maa, is it true?"

"It is!" Juliana beamed. "I'm glad that you're so happy!"

"I'm _super _happy," Her expression changed from happy to puzzled. "But why is Amaya here with Keiko?"

Juliana didn't answer straight away because she checked on Sonali and Raja.

"You two are awfully quiet."

Neither of them replied, hiding behind the best poker faces ever. Juliana sighed but spoke to all three of her kids.

"Amaya here because she's also pregnant, but thanks to the marvels of modern medicine, the baby she's carrying is also your little brother—"

She was interrupted when Raja suddenly exploded. "NO! I DON'T WANT ANY BROTHERS! NO, NO, NO!"

He ran from the room almost at the same time that Sonali got to her feet and faced her parents.

"Unlike Raja and Parvati, _I _can do the math about how there are two pregnancies going on at once, and to that, I have to say _ew!" _(She wasn't trying to hide her feelings at all) "And did you even think about the rest of us? I mean, I'll be moving to Manhattan in the fall for college! I'll be around, but I'll be so busy that I'm going to miss everything!"

She left the room quickly, leaving Keiko and me with Jalil and Juliana, who were suddenly looking worse for wear, as well as Parvati, who just looked confused.

"How are their _two _babies?"

I felt awkward, so I went upstairs to check on Raja while Parvati kept an eye on Keiko while she continued to play with King Kong. I found Raja crying in his room.

"Hey, Raja." I knocked on his open door. "Is it okay if I come in?"

He nodded and scooted over to make room for me on his racecar bed. "Yeah, you can come in."

I sat next to him and he immediately cuddled up to me. Raja has always played favorites with me because I'm his godmother.

"Your parents are a little confused about why you took off on them."

"Sonali took off, too!" the seven-year-old huffed. "She's in her bedroom, talking to Jacob on her phone."

"Jacob's her boyfriend, right?"

"Uh-huh. They've been together for one hundred forevers and will probably get married and have three kids, like there is in this family now."

"Does it weird you out that one of your siblings is in my belly?"

"I'm fifty-fifty."

"Why's that?"

"The baby in your belly and the baby in maa's belly could both be boys."

"And you said earlier that you _really _don't want brothers."

He nodded. "Uh-huh…"

"Is it really awful, having brothers? I have one, even though he and Sonali are the same age."

Raja was beating around the bush because I'd accidentally given him an opportunity, so I tried again.

"What's bad about the possibility of two brothers, or even one, for that matter?"

"I'm scared that maa won't think I'm her little prince anymore, and I'm also scared that papa won't want to teach me cricket anymore! I'm getting so good and I love it!"

Raja burst into tears and I pulled him onto my lap, rocking him as I made soothing noises. He stayed in my lap for a long time, but I let him cry it out as I remembered how I'd had this conversation with my kids over the years, telling them that they'd be getting a new sibling or two. (Out of all of my kids, I have three sets of twins now, two sets of whom were conceived through artificial insemination after Tatsuya ran into fertility problems when we tried to give Yoshi a sibling) Raja calmed down after awhile and looked at me, wiping his tears.

"Amaya, is the baby kicking you?"

I shook my head and placed his hand over the spot where the baby was moving. "No kicks yet, but I can feel her squirming around."

Raja perked up at this. "The baby is a _girl?" _

"Maybe, but it'll be awhile before we find out."

"Oh, okay." He hopped off my lap and spoke to my belly. "I really hope you're a little girl in there 'cause I'd be cool with that!"

My godson blew my belly a kiss and walked to the door before looking back at me. "I'm gonna go say sorry to maa and papa. You comin'?"

_Juliana's Point of View _

It warmed my heart to see that Parvati was genuinely ecstatic about becoming a big sister again, but it broke mine and Jalil's hearts that Sonali and Raja freaked out so badly. The rejection hurt like a knife to the heart because I hadn't been expecting it at all, especially from Sonali, who is normally pretty mature for her age.

Speaking of whom, she came down about ten minutes later to apologize and confessed that she was actually pretty excited to become a big sister for the third time, but the part that had really thrown her for a loop was that she would be turning nineteen shortly before mine and Amaya's due dates.

We'd been in the kitchen at that point, but we went back into the living room—where Parvati was happily playing with Keiko while the animals were flanked around them—and that's when Amaya and Raja came back downstairs. I just had time to sit down when Raja practically jumped into my lap and hugged me for a second before pulling away and framing my face in his little hands.

"Maa, I'm so sorry for freaking out."

I kissed him on the forehead. "It's okay, Raja. Thanks for apologizing."

He beamed and turned to Jalil. "Papa, are you still gonna take me to the park to teach me cricket, even if we get _two _boys?"

"We'll still go, no matter what."

This made Raja gave my belly a pat and the cuddled up against me, satisfied and content that his place in the family hadn't been revoked.

Amaya was watching from the living room doorway.

"What did you two talk about?" I asked her.

"I'm not telling that one." She told me in a teasing tone. "Conversations between a godmother and her godson don't leave the room they're held in."

"It's part of the code!" Raja piped up.

"A code, huh?" I tickled him and he giggled hysterically, being the most ticklish one of my kids. "Why haven't I ever heard of it?"

"It's 'cause me and Amaya made it up one time!"

I let him go and he immediately took refuge by Parvati, Sonali and the animals, all of whom were giving baby Keiko their utmost attention. My husband helped up and we approached Amaya, who had been watching them from a few feet away. Jalil spoke to our friend first.

"Amaya, we would love it if you and Keiko stayed for dinner."

"I couldn't impose…"

I raised an eyebrow. "What are you going to do? Go home to an empty house? Even Jessica and Yoshi won't be there because they're having a date night."

"How do _you _know about _that?" _

"I have my ways, and you know it."

"Okay, but Sanjay and Aayushi are flying in tonight."

"Not for a few more hours and even at that, Jalil will be taking them straight to The Plaza so they can sleep off their jetlag." I chirped, linking my arm around hers and taking her to the kitchen. "You _love _Indian food, which is exactly what I'm making tonight."

Amaya caved at this point. "Is this the part where you use the line about how I'm carrying a child for you and you're husband, you're going to take every opportunity to spoil me?"

"Something like that, yeah."

"What's on the menu?"

"Tandoori chicken and vegetable samosas."

Amaya actually became giddy. "The baby actually makes me crave Indian food, and I _love _tandoori chicken!"

"I know," I grinned. "And you can help me make it!"

She was even more eager now, and we were soon deep in discussion about our favorite recipes.

As we talked and gathered all of the ingredients, I felt the happiest I'd felt in a long time because I was feeling not only relieved, but secure about everything in my life: a happy and healthy family, good health for myself and the child inside me, a job that I love and precious friendships with people like Amaya that I'd never trade for anything.

My life is perfect.

Not dictionary-type perfect, but this is more than enough perfect for me.


	28. A Question For Lily Joy

_June 3, next day _

_Castle loft, Kate's Point of View _

One of the perks that come with being the wife of a bestselling author is the pride of knowing that all of his books have been translated into sixty-eight foreign languages.

For instance, my family and friends have copies of the Derek Storm and Nikki Heat books in Russian, Afrikaans, Korean, Spanish, and even Gaelic and Braille!

Juliana and Jalil have them all beat though, because they have the Derek Storm and Nikki Heat books in French, Swiss German and Hindi, all three languages of which are spoken frequently in their home.

Another perk is that we've met some very interesting people over the years, and I don't just mean the crazy fangirls or obsessive wingnuts. I mean people who work in the mayor's office, local judges and even the mayor and his wife. Castle even has the mayor on speed dial.

As of late, we met some new people—Nicolas Àlvarez's father and mother, Santiago and Estella, newly retired Supreme Court judges from Argentina. They were both very eager to meet us, so they invited us to their new townhouse in Tribeca because they wanted to get to know their favorite author and the inspiration for Nikki Heat.

We had a great time that day.

The newest couple who have asked to meet us are Jalil's parents—His Excellency Professor Sanjay Singh and Her Excellency Doctor Aayushi S. Singh.

They are ambassadors to the United Nations from India.

No, I'm not kidding.

Sanjay and Aayushi have been collecting all of Castle's books pretty much since the beginning even though they're old enough to be his parents and he was in college when his first book was published.

They just flew in from India at midnight last night and have been sleeping off their jetlag at a suite in The Plaza, but they really want to meet us now. Jalil and Juliana heard and happily volunteered to host a get-together at their house in Chelsea.

Everyone is excited about going, but LJ has been hiding in her room for the past twenty minutes.

* * *

"What's the matter, Lily Joy?"

She looked up as I approached her. "I'm embarrassed, mama."

"About what?"

"I can't get my clothes off to change into clean ones because of my cast!"

"Do you want some help?"

"Yes, please."

I went over to her closet and she followed me. "What would you like to wear?"

LJ shrugged. "Maybe a dress with short sleeves or no sleeves."

After a quick survey of her enormous wardrobe, I pulled down a dress and showed it to her.

"What about this one?"

"Yeah!" she chirped. "I like that one!"

This dress was a chocolate brown sleeveless Bonnie Jean dress with a forest scene embroidered along the bottom. I helped her into it and then combed out her hair and pushed it back with a headband since I didn't have time to braid it like I usually do. Insisting that she could get her shoes on by herself, she slipped on a pair of ballet flats and looked up at me for approval.

"Do I look good, even though I'm in a cast? _You _look _beautiful _in that purple dress and with your hair done up in a braid…"

"LJ, you're a _gorgeous _little girl." I assured her. "You always have been and you always will be."

"Thanks, mama!" she gave me a hug. "Is it time to go now?"

I checked my watch and took her hand. "It actually is! Let's go show daddy your outfit!"

* * *

A half hour later, we were at the Singh house in Chelsea and had barely been in the front hallway for five minutes when Raja appeared, greeting us and then whisking LJ away so they could play together. Alexis, who had also been invited to come to dinner with her family, appeared about a minute later, but repeated the same process with Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna, claiming that Toby and Abby wanted to see them.

"Well," I said as my oldest child walked away with my youngest three. "Where are your in-laws, Juliana?"

"Sanjay is out on the back deck, having a beer, and he wouldn't mind company." (Castle was gone in a heartbeat, saying this would be a good opportunity to some research for his next picture book, so Juliana turned to me) "Aayushi is in the kitchen, overseeing the food. Do you want to meet her?"

I nodded and started walking with my friend.

"Great, but she doesn't know about the baby—"

I halted in my tracks, putting a hand on her arm as I remembered back to a conversation we'd had when she came to visit me at work.

"So I was correct that day? You're expecting?"

She nodded eagerly. "Yes, and we told the kids yesterday. The point is, though, that neither of my in-laws know yet."

I chose not to comment when I saw her baggy shirt which was hiding her belly well. "But they're bound to figure it out soon."

"Not if you or your husband says anything."

"Rick probably wouldn't, but Jamie might. He's adept at spotting a baby bump, and so is Toby. I don't know about Abby, though."

Juliana let out a frustrated huff. "Siech!"

I raised an eyebrow at this last word because it was it was a swear word in a dialect of German that I didn't recognize. Before I could take a jab at her, an older woman dressed in a traditional Indian outfit called a salwar kameez, rounded the corner and spoke with an Indian accent heavier than my friend's.

"Juliana Diamond, I heard you swear just now and you know I recognize profanity in many languages!"

"But—"

"No 'ifs,' 'and' _or _'buts.' We haven't had to use the swear jar system since you were twenty!"

"But—" Juliana tried again.

"Those are for sitting!"

(I was trying very hard not to laugh because the scene in front of me was very comical. Juliana is very tall, strong and graceful, but Aayushi is her opposite—short and squat. To see Juliana intimidated by someone so small was the icing on top because not a lot can make her quake in her boots)

"Okay, okay! I'll chill out with the swearing, Aayu!"

The older woman softened up and smiled. "Good! Now go back to the kitchen before the food catches fire!"

Juliana gave a frightened squeak and hurried off as Aayushi sidled up, grinning slyly. Her black hair was greying and she had a few wrinkles around her eyes, making it hard for me to guess her age accurately but the black and gold flower pattern of her tunic, pants and sash made her chocolate-colored skin stand out in a beautiful way. However, even as she was grinning like a sly fox, I saw the timeless glint of mischief in her eyes.

I like her already.

"The food isn't really going to catch fire; I was just joking."

"Pleased to meet you, ambassador."

"Aayushi or Aayu will do just fine. Sanjay and I don't use any of our titles until they're needed." She laughed and motioned for me to follow her to the kitchen. "I have a question or two for you."

(The older woman was geeking out like a fangirl, and it was very cute)

"Ask away."

"How did you meet your husband, and _how _did you agree to be the inspiration for Nikki Heat?"

I smiled at the memories and began to explain.

* * *

By the end of dinner, Castle and I had become very comfortable with Jalil's parents and vice versa.

(What also worked in everyone's favor was that Sanjay and Aayushi were thrilled when Castle said that he was already getting ideas on how to work a pair of United Nations ambassadors into the plotline of his next children's book)

We, the adults, had just sat down in the living room to chat when Raja approached Castle and me, looking nervous about something.

"Uncle Rick, Tía Katie, is it okay if I ask you something?"

"Of course, little man." Castle told him. "What's on your mind?"

"You know how my papa's parents are UN ambassadors, right?"

We nodded.

"Well, there's gonna be a special evening ball type thingy the day after tomorrow that we're all going to, and we're gonna be dressed up in special Indian clothes! Maa's gonna wear a sari—"

Juliana interrupted, speaking in a pointed tone. "Try skipping ahead."

Raja heeded his mother's words. "Me and my sisters are allowed to each bring a guest, and I was wondering if it was okay with you guys if I could ask Lily Joy if she wants to be my guest. I feel kinda like her big brother, and I just want to make her smile."

Castle and I exchanged glances with each other, having a silent conversation of agreement with just our eyes before coming to an agreement. I turned back to Raja, who was waiting for an answer.

"You can ask her; she's going to love it."

The little boy clapped his hands excitedly. "I promise I'll take really good care of her, seeing as she has that cast now."

"Okay, great, but I have a question that I hope you can answer."

"I'll do my best!"

"If Juliana will be wearing a sari, then what should LJ wear?"

"She needs a lengha choli, sandals, jewelry and maybe even a flower hair clip!"

Raja paused, waiting to see if I wanted to know anything else, but I didn't, so I let him go find LJ. She wandered into the room at that precise moment and was actually startled when Raja gave a cry of delight upon seeing her.

We all watched as Raja spoke to LJ.

"Hey, Lily Joy, how would you like to be a princess for a night?"

"I'd love that, very a lot!"

"Then do you wanna come to the ball with me and my family the day after tomorrow?"

"Oh, my gosh! Really?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Yeah, I wanna come!"

And just like that, they were lost in their own world, planning for the event to come.


	29. Princess Night, Part One

_June 5, Two days later _

_Juliana's Point of View _

Today is the day of the UN ball—which is technically a charity gala—and since I'm off rotation at the hospital for the next two days, I had a lot of time to kill earlier. Jalil was at work, Sonali was out with her boyfriend, and Parvati and Raja were at school. Even my in-laws were at the local embassy, taking care of things for tonight.

I kept busy by tidying up around the house, but that kept me occupied for a so long. When that was finished, I took Gizmo and Widget for a long walk to around the nearby park. Eventually, I got hungry, so I stopped over at Chelsea Market to pick up some new foods to satisfy my pregnancy before finally heading home to have an early lunch.

A little later on, Rick called me saying that LJ still didn't have a lengha choli yet and he didn't have the faintest idea where to find one. Luckily, I did and offered to help him and LJ out by taking him over to the Little India shopping neighborhood that my family and I frequent. LJ was very surprised to see me at her classroom at noon (today was her first day back at school), but she was excited to go shopping.

LJ was even more excited when both of her parents gave the okay for her to spend the night with my family since she was probably going to be exhausted by the time the event was over. Once an overnight bag was put together, I took LJ back to my house, but it wasn't time for Parvati and Raja to come home from school yet, so LJ played with my dogs while I made her lunch. We even watched a movie together.

The entire time, though, I could feel my baby tuning over inside me, and a thought formed in my mind that I couldn't get out: what if this baby or the one Amaya is carrying is a girl?

* * *

Everybody's getting ready to go now, and Aayushi is going to help me with putting my sari on, but it's hard to concentrate because the baby being super wiggly.

* * *

"Juliana, are you alright?"

Aayushi, dressed in her favorite orange sari, was giving me a curious look.

"I've been better."

"Does it have something to do with that baby bump you've been trying so hard to hide?"

I sighed heavily, disappointed that she guessed before Jalil and I had the proper chance to tell her and Sanjay about it.

"It does, yes."

She became gleeful. "This means that Sanjay owes me fifty dollars!"

_"What?" _I protested childishly. "First you threaten to bring back the infernal swear jar system, and now you and your husband are betting on whether or not I'm pregnant?"

"You got it."

I smirked as a new thought occurred to me, and she suddenly looked worried.

"What now?"

"It's about Amaya."

"How's she doing? I should visit her tomorrow…"

(Aayushi and Amaya are very close)

"She's also pregnant."

Aayushi looked happy but confused. "That's wonderful, but didn't she just have Keiko?"

"Yes, but her current pregnancy is a surrogate pregnancy… for us."

Now she was excited, but she schooled her emotions. "Sweetheart, I'm thrilled to pieces for you and Jalil, I'll congratulate you later because we really have to get ready to go now."

After changing into the petticoat and skirt components of my outfit, Aayushi helped me put on the actual sari since I was a little rusty and it was a long process.

(I wonder how many people tonight will think I'm Indian instead before I tell them I'm actually African-Canadian-Swedish?)

Just as Aayushi was finishing with my sari, LJ wandered in.

"Ana, Mama Aayu, what should I do now? Sonali helped me get dressed, but she's helping LJ with her outfit now."

I showed her a silver traveling case that her parents had included in her overnight bag and then gestured to a chair by the bed.

"Would you like it if I did your hair for you?"

LJ hesitated. "Yeah, but I don't want to ruin my new lengha choli. This dress really pretty."

"If you get a wrinkle in it, I'll straighten them out for you." Aayushi told her with a wink. "I know all the tricks."

Now LJ seemed relieved and let me help her onto the chair. "Okay, Ana! You can do my hair!"

"How would you like it?"

"Up in a bun, like yours!"

"We can make that work," (I began undoing the plait in her hair and combing it out) "But do you have any special reason why?"

She immediately blushed and giggled. "Raja said me and him are gonna dance 'cause that's what you do at a ball."

"You want it done up because you don't want it in your face?" Aayushi suggested.

"Yep!"

"Then sit tight, and I'll have your hair all fixed up soon!"

As I continued to comb out LJ's long thick red hair and style it, she asked me a question.

"Ana, where were you born?"

"In a place called Regina."

"Where's that?"

"In a bigger place called Saskatchewan."

"Skatchachewin'? Saskatoon?"

"Close enough. Do you want to guess where it is?"

She thought hard. "New York or California? I live _here, _but I was born in Los Angeles…"

"Saskatchewan is actually in Canada, a country up north of the United States."

"You come from another country?"

"Indeed I do."

"Then why do you sound like Mama Aayu? She's from India."

Aayushi answered her. "That's because I've known Juliana for just over half her life."

"Whoa."

"When you spend that much time around someone, you pick up things like a new accent."

"That's totally super cool!" LJ chirped. "Mama Aayu, please can I ask you another question?"

"Sure."

"Is Ana's family still in Regina, or are they here?"

My heart clenched as I remembered what happened to my family twenty years ago, so I distracted myself by finally twisting LJ's hair into a bun and securing it with a hair tie and attaching a white flower hair clip.

"That's another story for another day, dear little friend," I helped her off the chair and steered her towards the full-length mirror on the back of my bedroom door so she could see herself. "Because you are all ready to go! What do you think?"

LJ squealed happily. "I look so pretty, Ana! I love it!"

"Do you have your shoes on?"

She lifted up the long skirt of her emerald green dress as best as she could to show off her new beaded sandals.

"Uh-huh!"

I opened the door and motioned for her to go if she wanted.

"Good girl. Now go find Raja and make sure he isn't lollygagging."

LJ giggled. "Lollygagging is a funny word."

"Do you know what it means?"

"Joking around, stalling, hiding a mess…"

"Excuse me? What's this about a mess?"

LJ's eyes widened in alarm as she realized her faux pas. "Nothing, Ana! I'm gonna go find Raja now!"

Aayushi and I watched as LJ leave as quickly as possible.

"That child is really something else." My mother-in-law remarked. "Slightly whimsical, but definitely unique."

I massaged my baby bump, smiling when I could feel the baby pressing up against the palm of my hand.

"That's the most accurate way to describe Lily, although 'enigmatic' is another word that's applied for as long as I've known her."

"Lily can't be more than five, Juliana! How is she enigmatic? How long have you known her?"

"Since she was three and needed some looking after at the hospital while her biological mother had an operation. Lily is very near and dear to my heart and she knows it."

"You talk about her like she's yours."

I shrugged. "Taking care of her today got me to thinking…"

"Oh?"

"Taking care of Lily today really, _really _makes me hope that both of the babies are girls."

Aayushi raised an eyebrow. "Two _more _daughters? You and Jalil already have Sonali and Parvati! What about Raja? Wouldn't _he _at least want _one _brother?"

I shook my head, thinking of his meltdown. "He's crossing his fingers for sisters."

_"That _child is also something else."

"You have no idea… the things Raja does on a daily basis are causing Jalil and I to go grey prematurely."

"Having grey hair builds character, and it makes you look distinguished." (Aayushi has lots of grey hair) "Now come on—we _need _to go! The limo is due any moment!"

I blinked in surprise. "Limo? What limo?"

"What do you think we were taking care of at the embassy today?"

"Not a limo…"

"A stretchlimo, actually." She corrected. "The embassy is paying for it."

"A _stretch _limo?" I echoed. "Good Lord! What else would you have picked?"

Her tone became one of exasperation. "If I had time to explain all the perks of being a foreign ambassador the United Nations, we'd be here all night, missing the event. Do you want that?"

"No."

Just then, cries of surprise were heard from downstairs, along with…

"Guys, guys! Come quick and look!"

"Is that a _limo?" _

"It's long…"

"Who cares! _That's _an actual stretch limo, and it's parked _here!" _

My personal favorite came from Raja and LJ in tandem: "WE'RE GONNA RIDE IN A _LIMO!" _

Aayushi turned back to me, looking smug. "Are _you _done lollygagging?"

"Quite."

"Fantastic!" she chirped. "Let's go downstairs now before someone sends out a search party!"

And we did, Aayushi lecturing me about how high to hold the long fabric of my royal blue sari so I didn't accidentally trip; me thinking about what the night had in store.


	30. Princess Night, Part Two

The gala was actually held in a large banquet hall at The Plaza and it was decorated so lavishly and jam-packed with so many important dignitaries and other such distinguished figures that it all made my head spin a little. Twenty years ago, I was Juliana Major, a farm girl from Saskatchewan, and now, I'm Juliana Singh, daughter-in-law to two very important Indian ambassadors.

I just wish that my parents were still here so they could see me now.

They would be so proud.

I have so much to be thankful for, but I'm _really _missing my parents and siblings right now. If I ever find out who killed them, I swear that person won't live to see another day.

But I shouldn't think about that right now.

* * *

"I know that look," Jalil whispered to me. "And it needs to be left alone. Besides—my mother isn't done with her speech yet. She won't forgive you for zoning out."

Realizing that he was right, I focused on the podium where Aayushi was talking.

"…Sanjay and I are very pleased to accept our new positions, and we're even more thrilled because it means that we'll be stateside from now on, and because of that, we're going to be moving here to keep up with our jobs, but also so we can be near our son and daughter-in-law, and their growing family!"

We were very surprised by her announcement, and we clapped along with everybody else, but my heart clenched yet again as I thought of how badly I miss my family.

When everybody's attention was pack at the podium, I excused myself to the bathroom and cried for a solid twenty minutes.

I returned to the banquet hall to see that people were dancing as a live jazz band played. I could see my whole family and their guests, minus Raja and LJ, already dancing. Raja was nearby, trying to talk LJ into dancing with him.

I was distracted from watching them when Jalil walked up to me and gave me a kiss hello.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. I was just thinking about my family again. My parents wouldn't have been able to afford to move down here, but they would have made plenty of trips down for visi—oh…"

Jalil pulled me to the side, away from the crowd, concerned. "Is the baby alright?

I nodded. "The baby is perfect; feel."

His face lit up when he realized what I meant, but it lit up even more when I placed his hand were mine was. Our baby was happily kicking away for the first time.

"This is hardly the time or place to celebrate with you the way I want to, but I don't think anybody else will notice if I kiss you."

In the blink of an eye, he was placing a smoldering kiss of passion on the lips. When he pulled away, his face bore a smug expression. "I promise there will be more where that came from later on."

"Damn, I hope so."

He extended a hand to me. "Care to dance?"

In response, I took his hand and let him lead me to the dance floor.

Raja finally got LJ to dance with him, and pretty soon, they were tearing up the dance floor. After all of that, though, LJ found me and informed me that was getting tired and that she needed a bathroom break. Since she needed more help than a regular five-year-old would because of her temporary handicap, I helped her out. It was after that that we sat on a couch in the waiting area just outside of the restrooms because LJ had started yawning and snuggling up to me in her sleepy state.

"Ana, is it okay if we stay here for just a little while?"

"Sure, princess." I pulled her close to me. "Do you feel comfortable?"

"Uh-huh." She yawned again. "Know what?"

"Do tell."

"Raja called me a princess tonight."

"Did he, now?"

"Yep! It made me feel special."

"You _are _special." I smoothed back a few strands of her loose hair that had fallen in her face. "I'm sure your mama and your daddy tell you that all the time."

"Raja made me feel specialer."

"Well, that's a nice thing for a mother to hear about her baby boy. How did he make you feel even more special?"

The little girl gave me a sleepy smile and spoke around a monster yawn. "It's 'cause he's really nice, like a big brother. I don't have a _real _big brother, and my heart belongs to _Zeke, _but Raja is just cool. I tolded him that once."

"What did he say?"

"I don't remember, but I'm just glad that he's my friend. All big brothers should be as cool as he is…"

I watched as she started nodding off, and when I assured her it was okay to close her eyes, she was out like a light, resting her head in my lap.

* * *

I really wouldn't mind if we get two sons when the babies are born, but really: I can't shake the fifty-fifty chance of getting two daughters, instead. So now… I'm _hoping _that that will be the case.

* * *

By the time we got back to the house about an hour later, Raja was also dead on his feet, so Jalil took care of him while I took care of LJ. (Seeing as it was terribly late, Sonali, Parvati, Jacob and Tokutaro were watching a movie in the living room downstairs) When LJ was finally tucked away in a pallet of blankets in Raja's room, I was feeling pretty tired, so I changed into my pajamas and crawled into my own bed. Jalil came to check on me, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

"Besides that." He gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "You look lost in thought."

I pulled back my top to expose my baby bump and absently ran a hand over it, relishing the feeling of knowing that I was growing a new life inside me.

"I was just thinking about when the babies come."

"Go on."

"When the time comes, do you want to find of the genders of the babies? I'm kind of eager…"

"Even though all our kids were surprises, even the quads?"

I nodded.

"Then yes, I do, and we should talk to Amaya about it soon."

He planted a kiss on my belly that had the baby kicking up a storm, just from the contact.

"You're going to leave me right when the baby decides it's cool to bounce around?" I pouted. "That's cold."

Jalil had enough sense to look sheepish as he got to his feet. "Sorry, Jules. I'm going to go check on the kids for a minute. Would it make you feel better if I brought back a bowl of ice cream?"

"Some of the Ben and Jerry's chocolate ice cream, yes."

"Anything else? Do you want the peach preserves on top again?"

"That would really hit the spot right about now…"

"Your wish is my command, janu. I'll be right back." He suddenly spotted my French copy of my favorite Nikki Heat book, _Frozen Heat. _"I'm also rereading that, so don't go spoiling anything!"

I threw a pillow at him. "Stop stalling and go get my ice cream and peaches already!"

He gave a mock bow and exited, promising to return soon.


	31. Operation Day, Part One

**(my apologies to everyone getting this chapter in their inbox twice, but there was an entire line that was missing, so I put it in)**

**Here we go!**

* * *

**Many, many thanks to myboygeorge for help on this particular section!**

_June 6, next day_

_Saint Brigid's hospital, pediatric wing_

_Flora's Point of View_

Today is the big day! Francis is about to undergo the cochlear implant surgery and when he wakes up, he'll be able to hear me!

We're both excited about it, although I could barely get any sleep last night and I've been growing increasingly nervous. I got so nervous that he and I ended up spending the night at mom and Kevin's house because the only thing that got me to sleep was mom sitting on the edge of the bed and stroking my hair while singing lullabies to me like she used to do when I was little. It took awhile, but it worked.

* * *

At present, my son and I are in the prep room. Uncle Thomas had given me some time to spend with Francis before he's taken to the OR.

* * *

_'Mama loves you so much.'_ I signed to Francis, trying not to think of how small he looked in his hospital gown as he sat on the gurney. _'I love you forever.'_

He answered quickly._ 'Love mama, too.'_

_'You're so brave.'_

_'Like a lion?'_

_'Just like a lion.'_

He smiled, curling his hands into lion paws and I could imagine his voice going _"Rawr, rawr, rawr!"_ It made me tear up, and I had to work hard on keeping my tears back because I didn't want him to see me crying.

_'Mama, why tears?'_

(Damn, he's good)

_'Mama is excited to hear your voice!'_

_'Me, too!'_

There was a knock on the door and the nurse-anesthetist entered, smiling. He greeted me and then turned to my son.

"Hi, Francis. My name is Nurse Ajay, and I'm here to help you sleep during the operation, buddy!"

Francis looked to me for a translation and when I gave it to him, his eyes grew wide in alarm. It was a few secons before I turned back to Ajay.

"He's wondering if it's going to hurt."

Ajay smiled reassuringly at Francis. "You won't feel anything, but we'll make sure you get medicine if it hurts later."

When I translated this, he seemed content because he gave Ajay a thumbs up, and in turn, Ajay gave him his first dose of anesthesia. Francis took it, but whimpered at the sight of the gas mask.

_'Mama stay here?'_ He signed.

_'I'm right here, baby. Always.'_

_'I be okay. Love, love, love.'_

I repeated his words back to him. _'Love, love, love.'_

Francis just nodded, closing his eyes and within a few minutes, he was out for the count. I followed as Ajay wheeled him out into the hallway and was able to smooth back my son's curly dark hair and kiss his forehead before Ajay started heading to the OR with him.

The ENT specialist, Doctor Siegel, approached me, speaking with professional sympathy. "He'll be just fine, Missus Endo."

"Please update me the second you can."

"Of course. Do you have someone here with you? A husband, boyfriend, any family?"

I nodded, so she left to catch up with Francis and Ajay while I headed back to the pediatric operating room waiting area and sat next to mom on the sofa. Kevin was in a chair beside her and he looked up when he saw me.

"They've taken him to the OR?"

I nodded but felt my breath hitch, and that was all it took for the floodgates to open. I buried my face in my hands and began sobbing, so mom pulled me close and made soothing noises.

"I know, baby girl, I know. He'll be okay."

"He's just so small!" I sobbed. "He's little and brave, but now I'm a mess, and…"

Mom continued to make soothing noises when I couldn't finish, and it was fifteen minutes before I was myself again. Kevin left at some point because he could tell that I just wanted my mother.

"Do you feel better?" mom asked, wiping my tears with a tissue.

"Not really. That'll be when he's back in my arms and he can hear me."

"Why don't we focus on some positives right now?"

"I've been able to enroll Francis in a special speech therapy program at Hudson University, and he'll be going five times a week, three hours a day. There's going to be a lot of book reading and music listening. I'm so excited for him!"

"See? Focusing on positives is key."

We looked up when we heard a familiar set of shuffling footsteps on the carpet and saw that Kevin had returned.

"Where'd you go?" I asked as he sat back down in his chair.

"I went for a walk outside and spotted a new Italian place on the corner, and I brought back a menu." He showed it to us. "I figured we could order some food now or for later when we celebrate your little guy for being an awesome champ."

Slightly overwhelmed by my stepdad's positivity and cheerfulness, I thanked him then stood.

"A walk sounds like a good idea. Is there a place nearby where I can get some tea or coffee?"

"I saw a mini kiosk near the nurse's area."

"Great. I'll be back."

Not wanting coffee because I didn't want to be extra wired, I looked at all of the tea choices available at the self-serve kiosk—chamomille, lemon, raspberry, chai to name some—and wondered how anyone could make up their minds about what tea they wanted to drink. I became so wrapped up in thinking about what I wanted that I almost jumped out of my skin when I realized that a man slightly older than me had joined me at the kiosk to make his own drink. He apologized for spooking me, but now I was curious about him.

"I'm sorry, what? I didn't quite catch what you said."

"I was just curious about where you got your tattoos." He spoke in a lilting Eastern European accent that I couldn't quite place. "They're cool."

"Oh, thank you. I got them done at East Tenth Ink in West Village. Are you thinking about getting something done?"

He nodded, almost shy. "It would be a little something to honor my dad, and it would be my first tattoo ever."

I looked this guy over—he was tall with tan skin and had a muscular build, easily looking like a nightclub bouncer. His jeans, white muscle t-shirt, leather jacket and what were no doubt steel-toed boots added the 'don't cross me' factor to his appearance, as did his chrome dome, but what made me melt a little was his blue eyes because to me, they looked very understanding and gentle. I thought it was kind of endearing that a guy who looked like he could break a spine if someone pissed him off was just now getting his first tattoo.

"What did he do?"

"Dad was a firefighter. He passed away when I was twelve."

"I'm sorry about that." My sympathy was offered out of politeness to the stranger. "What if you just got something simple that said 'dad,' and it was on a bicep?"

"That sounds great; thanks." he extended a hand towards me. "Where are my manners? I'm Elijah Prince, and I work for Riley Construction, based in Midtown."

I laughed and shook his hand. "I'm Flora Endo, and I work for Suspended In Time Photography in Tribeca."

"What brings you here, Flora Endo?" he asked as he started make a cup of hot chocolate.

"You first." I teased, genuinely curious.

"My little niece Honolulu is having a procedure done, and I'm here to give her parents a break."

At that point, I realized exactly who the hot chocolate was for. "That's very nice of you."

"Now, why are you here?"

"My son is here getting a transplant."

"That's rough. How old is he?"

"Almost three."

"Jeez, that's extra rough." Elijah stepped out of my way. "The coffee rack is all yours. What does he need a transplant for, if you don't mind my asking?"

"His ears. He's deaf and getting cochlear implants for both sides." I let out a shaky sigh. "I haven't even eaten any lunch yet."

"Didn't your husband get you som food?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Elijah pointed to my diamond wedding ring on my finger that I still wear. "That's no Sweet Sixteen ring."

"Oh this." I ran my hand on the underside of the silver band. "My husband passed away when I was pregnant, so I'm actually widowed."

"I'm so sorry." It was his turn to be sympathetic, and I could tell he really meant it. "Are you going to be okay, Flora? You have your family here?"

"My mom and stepdad are in the waiting room."

"How about a friendly hug?" Elijah set down the hot chocolate and held out his arms, beckoning in welcome. "Everyone says I'm a great hugger, and my niece even gave me a blue ribbon to prove it."

Before I knew it, I was wrapping my arms around the man who had been a stranger five minutes ago, and when he hugged me back, I felt the embrace of someone who cared. For the first time since Hikaru's passing, I didn't feel any shame or guilt in touching a man so intimately. In fact, it was quite nice with him.

"Thanks, Elijah."

"Any time, Flora."

I watched him walk away then turned back to the coffee rack, and started making chai tea as I reflected on what had just happened.

For the first time all morning, I smiled a hopeful little smile.


	32. Operation Day, Part Two

Waiting to hear an update on Francis felt endless, and I knew that mom and Kevin meant well by trying to keep me distracted with a few games of Hearts and Backgammon, but all of my thoughts and all of my energy were with my little boy. I knew he was in good hands, but that didn't stop me from being an anxious mama.

* * *

"Flora, stop watching the clock; it's never going to boil." Kevin said gently as I looked at the clock on the wall for the umpteenth time. "My brother and his operating team are the best of the best."

"I know, but Francis is my little boy and…" I trailed off, sighing. "Hikaru has been on my mind all day, and I'm really missing him, but I feel as though I'm in hell."

"There's no other adequate way to put it." Mom agreed and then looked to someone standing in the doorway. "Can we help you?"

I followed her gaze, and to my surprise, I felt a little zip of joy in my belly when I saw it was the man from the kiosk.

"Hello again!" I chirped, noticing the paper mug in his hands.

"I saw you come in here a little while ago and thought that you might like a drink so you don't go crazy with worry about your boy."

Getting up, I joined him in the hallway here he deposited the cup into my hands, and I caught a whiff of the drink inside.

"Hot chocolate?"

"I took a chance because I didn't know what you like to drink best," the tall man explained as I gratefully drank a few sips. "And my niece wisely informed me that everybody likes hot chocolate."

"Well, tell her I said thanks. This is all very nice."

He gave me a smile that made me go weak in the knees. "Don't let me keep you, Flora. I hope everything goes well with your little guy today."

"Thanks…" I faltered as I tried to remember his first name.

"Elijah." He kindly prompted. "My name is Elijah Prince."

"Right." I giggled nervously. "Elijah Prince. I remembered your last name because that's what I call my son."

"Then I'll give you a free pass on that one." Elijah winked flirtatiously and I felt butterflies in my stomach immediately. "Maybe, if it's alright with you, I might come by when your boy's back in his room, and see how he was doing."

I was a little taken aback by this. "Oh, I—"

"No! Oh, I'm so sorry!" Elijah interrupted with a hasty apology when I came up flustered, and he was a little embarrassed. "That was rude and presumptuous of me, Flora. I'm so sorry!"

"It's not like you just asked me if we wanted to sneak off to a supply closet to have sex to take my mind off waiting." I joked. "The thoughtfulness hasn't gone unappreciated, though, Elijah, but I don't think it would really be quite right."

"Of course. Another time, another place?"

I nodded. "Yes."

Elijah nodded back and gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Be good, Flora, and smile that charming smile a lot for your son."

"You go do the same for your niece."

He smiled again and left, but I still had butterflies in my stomach as I went back to the waiting room and sat next to mom, who was giving me a smug look.

"What?"

"Don't you 'What?' me, young lady! Who was that?"

"Elijah Prince; we met when I went to the kiosk earlier. He's visiting his niece, Honolulu."

"He's cute."

"Mama—" I tried to protest, but she cut me in.

"You're stressed out, not blind." She spoke in a no-nonsense tone. "Why did you turn down his offer of a visit?"

"Because… it's not right."

Kevin stepped in at this point. "Would you feel as if you're betraying your husband?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not that at all. I loved Hikaru very, very much and a part of me always will. He wouldn't want me to mourn him forever, but what kind of message would it send to Francis if I brought back a man he doesn't know while he's in such a vulnerable state?"

"So then what _is _the message?"

"That I can't go picking up men when my son is in surgery."

"From what we could tell, he was hitting on you and you were hitting on him right back."

"Either way, my energy has to be focused on Francis, not chasing after some guy."

Mom got her two cents worth in again. "But he _is _cute."

Before I could swat her in the arm for being obnoxious, a new voice joined the conversation.

"Missus Endo?"

I turned at the sound of my name and felt my blood chill slightly when I saw Uncle Thomas' right-hand man from the OR, Doctor Stevens, had entered the room.

"Doctor Stevens, what is it? Is Francis okay?"

"He's a little rock star, Missus Endo, he's doing so well. Doctor Ryan asked me to come tell you that we've completed the transplants and are now in the stages of completing the procedures. Obviously, this kind of surgery will require close monitoring after it's completed, but Francis looks very, very good right now."

"Oh, thank you, Jesus!" I breathed a huge sigh of relief. "How long until I can see him?"

"I'll come get you when it's time, but for now, I suggest you get some food and perhaps a nap here because it's going to be awhile yet."

"That sounds good."

When the doctor was finally gone, I burst into tears of happiness and relief.

"He's okay! My darling little prince is okay!"

"Man, how do you have enough water left for tears right now?" Kevin joked as he passed me the tissue box.

"Not a clue, but I'm starving and I need to go get Francis' room ready for him."

"You heard Doctor Stevens—it'll be awhile, so why don't we all go for a walk to that Italian place I found earlier and set up Francis' room when we come back?"

"I actually want to set up Francis' room now because it could take awhile. Would you bring something back for me?"

"Of course he can." Mom answered, knowing how Italian food has always been high on my list of absolute favorites. "I was perusing through the menu Kevin brought back and saw they actually have just about everything you like, including cheesy ravioli with bolognaise. Plus, they even have chocolate pudding cake with raspberry mousse filling!"

"Oooo! I want both of those!"

"Anything else?"

"Chicken salad with dressing on the side, and extra bacon bits, if it comes with that." I paused, thinking. "Oh, and two lemon Italian sodas."

"What, no kitchen sink?"

"Nope."

Mom laughed and turned to her husband. "Kevin did you catch all that?"

He had actually written it all down on his detective notepad. "Yes, I did. Are you sure there isn't anything else that you want?"

"Quite, and I can eat the leftovers later." I got to my feet and picked up the large duffel bag I'd brought from home. "This has the things that Francis asked me to put in his room to make it feel a little more like home."

* * *

Mom and I headed for Francis' room while Kevin went to go get the food, but we stopped short when we noticed who was in there already. Elijah was perched in the chair next to the bed of my son's roommate, a four-year-old girl was occupied with shoveling cherry Jello into her mouth with a spoon as if it was about to run away from her.

"What are you doing here?" I asked in surprise.

"Visiting Honolulu." He turned to the little girl. "Lulu, can you be polite and say hello to Flora and her mama?"

Honolulu swallowed her Jello and smiled brightly at us. "Hello!"

We returned her greeting, but Elijah turned back to me. "What are _you _doing here?"

"This is my son's room and we came to make his bed."

He grinned a boyish grin that made me want to melt. "It looks like the universe just found that other time and place for us!"


	33. Operation day, Part Three

Today has been such a day of ups and downs. I mean, I expected them, but still…

The good news is that Francis' transplant surgery went wonderfully, and now he's in bed, sleeping off the medication.

The bad news is that because he's so young, his recovery time is going to be two weeks at the most, and he's going to be hospital-bound the entire time because he needs very close monitoring, especially with the bandages wrapped around the surgery. His new cochlear implants won't even be activated until after the doctors have decided that his body is healthy enough to handle it.

* * *

I had done my research on the procedure, so I was anticipating a long hospital stay, but now that that time is here, I'm at a loss for how to explain to my son that he is technically still deaf, and I'm also at a loss for how to tell him that he's going to be stuck here for ages because he's two years old and doesn't even have a proper concept of time yet.

I certainly don't know how to tell him that I won't be able to stay with him all day because I have to go back to work tomorrow.

Speaking of time, it's times like this when I really miss Hikaru. If he was here, we'd have a plan of action figured out by now, but alas… Hikaru has been dead for almost three years now, and it just makes my heart ache when I think about how he and Francis never had a chance to meet. Francis looks just like him.

* * *

As I looked over at Honolulu—wow, what a name—and felt an army of butterflies thumping around in my stomach when I saw that Elijah was still there, reading to his niece. Elijah is a handsome guy, and he's funny and good with children, something else that reminds me of Hikaru.

I'll always love him because he was the father of my child, but lately… I've been thinking that it's time to start the dating game again. Francis is growing like a weed right before my eyes, and he has me as a mother figure, but I'd also like it if he eventually had a father figure one day. It actually feels okay to think about long-term goals I want for myself since I don't have to be ears for two now.

When Elijah saw that Honolulu had finally wandered off into Dreamland, he came over to see me and gave me a friendly smile.

"Flora, I'm about to take off. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks, though."

"Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

I smiled at the thought of seeing him again. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze and once again, I felt butterflies in my stomach. I wanted to think of a better response then what I'd said, but by the time I had one, Elijah was gone and it was about five more minutes before my thoughts had drifted back to Hikaru and I was crying a little bit.

"Why are you crying, Miss Flora?"

Startled to hear a little voice, I looked down to see that Honolulu had woken up and climbed out of bed to come check on me.

"Honolulu, sweetie, you're not supposed to be out of bed."

"But you're sad, Flora." She touched a hand to my knee. "Uncle Elijah said that your Francis gotted surg'y on his ears and now he can hear all the sounds of the world. That's a happy thing!"

"It is…"

She glanced towards my son's bed. "Can I see him? I promise I'll be quiet since he's asleep."

Charmed by her pleasant manners, I pulled her onto my lap and she was able to get a good look at my son.

"He's little."

"Francis will be three in a few months."

"Are you sad 'cause he's little and he gotted surg'y?"

"That would be it."

Honolulu reached up and wiped my tears. "But you're his mama, so you gotta be very brave and give him lots of kisses and cuddles!"

"I'm quite brave, but sometimes it's just hard and I get sad."

She gave me the biggest hug she could manage. "There! Now you won't be so sad. You know what else helps? That song from _The Sound of Music." _

"The one where Maria is talking about her favorite things?"

"Uh-huh!"

"I feel better now, Lulu, thanks. Can I ask you a question?"

"Okay."

"Will you keep an eye on Francis when I can't come see him? I have to go to work so I can make sure we have a home and food and clothes and nice things to play with."

She looked up at me. "You mean like a guardian angel?"

"If you like."

"I would like that very a lot. Maybe…"

"Maybe what?" I prompted.

"Maybe, when Francis' ears work, I'll help you teach him how to talk. Orlando helped to teach me and China."

"Who are Orlando and China?"

"My brother and sister. Orlando's eight, and China's two. I'm almost five." Honolulu stretched and yawned. "I gotted surg'y on my tummy and I'm gonna have a _scar!" _

I just shook my head and laughed. "Lulu-girl, where are your parents?"

She brushed some of her long brown hair out her face, shrugging. "Uncle Elijah said they were coming… uh-oh…"

Honolulu looked to the corridor, and we both heard the noise of several people talking at once.

"That's them?" I asked and she just nodded as a whirlwind came through the door. Orlando and China looked happy to see her, but the other three were looking stern. Her doctor approached us first.

"Lulu, what did we discuss about getting out of bed without the doctor's help?"

"To not to." The little girl mumbled guiltily.

Honolulu's parents came forward, her mother speaking now. "And what have _we _told you about talking to strangers?"

"To not to!" she protested. "But mommy, Flora's no stranger anymore 'cause she's friends with Uncle Elijah! He maded her some hot chocolate 'cause that's the way to say hello when you're nervous, _and_ I cheered Flora up 'cause her little guy Francis just gotted new ears! I'm not even a stranger to her now 'cause she just asked me to be Francis' guardian angel!"

Both of her parents and even Orlando and China gaped at Honolulu in surprise, but in the blink of an eye, her parents had both given me a hug.

"Thank you, so much!" her dad was near tears, and I was feeling slightly bewildered.

"You're welcome, but… why?"

Orlando answered this one. "Daddy, Lulu and I were in a car accident last years. Lulu got hurt the most and something happened with her brain, but I forget."

"To make a long story short," his mother paraphrased. "The trauma from the accident caused something in her brain just shut down altogether. She stopped talking for months."

I gave Honolulu an extra cuddle. "She's doing so great now!"

The other woman smiled, looking as if a weight had been lifted of her shoulders. "That's the wonders of the Hudson University speech therapy program for you, but up until now, none of have ever heard her say that much in one go in a long time!"

The doctor cut in gently when he saw that the little girl was nodding off in my lap from the medication she was on. "Pardon me for interrupting, but we really need to get Little Miss Lulu back in her bed before she completely zonks out."

Honolulu's parents nodded understandingly and the little girl herself gave me a hug, and then started singing a song by The Beatles.

"We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine…"

(Her medication must be making her loopy…)

"Focus, Lulu." I coached her. "How do you even know those words?"

Honolulu's mother had explanation. "My brother Elijah is a huge fan of The Beatles, and he plays his old records when he babysits the kids."

Not wanting to be ignored, Honolulu tapped me on the shoulder. "Miss Flora, the sun is in the sky still, so I can't be sleepy! I don't want Francis to be gone when I wake up!"

"He and I aren't going anywhere for a long time. You can sleep as long as you want, but you two can look at books when you're both awake. He loves doing that."

She yawned again, resting her head on her dad's shoulder. "O-okay."

"Night night, Lulu. We'll talk to you later."

I watched as they all headed to the other side of the room and pulled the curtain divider shut behind them before turning back to Francis, who had slept through the whole thing. I climbed into his bed and held him in my arms, whereupon he curled up in the fetal position, like he was a newborn baby again.

"Too bad you're asleep, little prince." I murmured, pulling the blanket over us. "You just missed a darling little girl who wants to be your friend."

* * *

As I finally began to fall asleep, Elijah Prince turned up in my dreams… not that I minded.

We were in Central Park with Francis, who was happily singing along with the noises of the merry-go-round while Elijah and I had a picnic of sandwiches, coleslaw and Italian sodas, after which we took Francis to the Crumbs bakery by our house to pick out a treat.

When I woke up, I was actually disappointed that it had been a dream, but imagine my surprise and delight when Elijah returned at nearly eight in the morning, while Francis and Honolulu were both still sleeping.

My heart jumped when he set down a takeout bag from Remy's, along with a steaming paper mug of hot chocolate, on the little table by Francis' bed.

Dressed in a t-shirt, dark work pants and steel-toed boots, he looked like he was ready for a long work day. He was even wearing a yellow construction helmet, and it made another part of me feel a trickle of warmth spreading through my chest and arms as I took in the rough-and-ready sight of him.

I melted from the overall gesture, deeply touched that he had thought of me.

"What's all this?"

"I brought you some breakfast since I'm sure you don't want to leave Francis by himself while you go foraging for food." He pointed at the bag as my stomach growled. "I hope that you're a carnivore because I got you a BLT sandwich with sides of mashed potato hash browns and fruit salad. There's also a carton of orange juice in there."

"Thanks for all of this. The kids have both been sleeping through the night, even Lulu. I've been keeping an eye on her since her parents couldn't stay the night."

"Yeah, my sister called me last night, saying that Lulu took a shine to you."

"Your sister?"

"Lulu's mother is my older sister, Holly Prince-Corbeau."

"Right. I didn't catch her name, but she mentioned that you like The Beatles."

"Their music was how my old man and I bonded a lot."

(What a puppydog…)

"That's very sweet."

There was a beat of silence in which we looked at each other before he remembered what he was here for. Nodding farewell to me, he checked on Honolulu.

Not until after he was gone did I spot a Post-It note on the side of my hot chocolate mug. The little piece of paper bore a message: _'There's more where that came from. Call me when you want a change of scenery.' _A phone number was underneath the untidy scrawl, and I dialed it immediately, unable to contain my giddiness.

Elijah Prince just asked me out on a date!


	34. Changes For Jessica And Yoshi

**This is for the Jessica/Yoshi fans!**

_Several days later, June 10 _

_Esposito house, Yoshi's Point of View _

Our baby is scheduled to be born today because in a few hours, Jessica Rose and I will be going to Emily Ryan's operating room at the hospital, whereupon Jessica will be prepped to undergo a c-section, the end result being the birth of our son, whom we are beyond excited to meet.

Yesterday, though, Jessica became really wanted to by her mom and dad, so we spent the day with them and ended up spending the night, too. We slept soundly in her old room, but now I've woken up early and decided to watch her sleep for a few minutes.

* * *

When I pushed back the blankets, I was privy to what she'd worn to bed—a lavender maternity camisole and a pair of boxer shorts that she had 'borrowed' from me. My girlfriend's outfit left very little to the imagination and when she shifted slightly in her sleep, her shirt rode up, revealing her beautiful baby bump in the flesh.

Almost immediately, Jessica started moving a little more, and I could actually see why—the baby's knees were pressed together in one spot, making them easily visible as he moved from side to side. In an effort to calm both mother and son, I leaned over and spoke directly to the baby, resting a palm over the area where he was located.

"Hey, little guy—mama and I can both feel you moving around in there, and I promise we haven't forgotten about you. I mean, I don't think we ever could because you're our boy and you're going to be so loved by your mother and me, of course, but you're also going to be loved by our parents, our grandparents, our friends and our brothers and sisters."

The baby continued to move, but his movements were subdued because he has always been soothed by the sound of my voice.

"Just wait until you meet your big sister. Her name is Gabriella, and she's going to have a field day, educating you in the English, Spanish and Japanese languages."

The baby seemed very content now because he was moving almost lazily in his cramped space. In a bout of spontaneity, he pushed one of his little hands directly against mine and it made my heart melt. I leaned forward and kissed that part of Jessica's belly.

The moment was ruined when I felt a tiny elbow connect with my nose. The jab took me by surprise, but as a reflex reaction, I sat up and swore filthily in Japanese as I rubbed my nose.

"You know, my love," came a sleepy voice. "Waking up to the sound of cursing is not pleasant."

"I'm sorry, Jessie," I apologized as I helped her sit up. "But the baby just delivered a powerful right hook to my nose!"

She put her glasses on and raised an eyebrow at me. "Like I couldn't feel it! He hasn't stopped kicking up a storm now, by the way!"

"I'm sorry, Jessie." I quickly repeated.

"You better be." She pulled her shirt down over her belly and gave it a poke. "Budge up, niño! It's not like you're sharing the space with anybody!"

Jessica just winced and rubbed her belly when the baby kicked her again, so I wasn't really all that surprised when she let slip a few Spanish curse words as she got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.

I hope her mood will improve soon.

* * *

_Jessica's Point of View _

My mood improved tremendously when I arrived in the kitchen a little later because I saw that we had three surprise visitors: Amaya and baby Keiko, as well as my precious Abuela Ophelia.

"Hola, niña!" my father's mother greeted me, rising from her chair. "You can have my seat!"

I thanked her as I eased myself into the chair but then I noticed that she, Amaya, Keiko and I were the only ones in the room.

"Did my parents go to work already? They said they had to, but I forgot for how long…"

"It's only for three hours." Amaya gently explained. "They only have paperwork today."

"Your parents called us to hold down the fort and to make sure you and Kiyoshi get to the hospital safely if they're not back in time." Abuela happily added.

"I think the baby is glad to have two of his abuelas nearby because he's kicking me more than he was a few minutes ago when he clocked Yoshi in the nose!"

"Shinju and Nozomi were like that." Amaya recalled as Keiko slept in her arms. "Tokutaro and Mitsunobu were almost as aggressive right near the end."

I felt a little stab of panic rise at the thought of another tiny body growing inside me and immediately turned to Abuela Ophelia."

"Make her stop! Twist her ear, or something!"

"Alas, mija, I can do no such thing."

"Why?"

"Amaya's pregnant _and _holding a sleeping baby, so it would be really bad karma to even give her a swat."

"We could _all _use loads of good karma today." Amaya quickly added.

I sighed, shaking my head. "Where's Bella?"

"She hasn't come down yet, so she's probably still asleep. Where is Kiyoshi?"

"He saw that Grace, Leon and Liberty were stirring and decided to take care of them." I told her.

"Yoshi's very good with kids. Despite his learning disabilities, he's always wanted a family and a wife."

Abuela choked on her tea, sputtering. "Excuse me? Is there something I'm missing, like an engagement?"

I opened my mouth to respond but was cut off when Bella and Grace came bounding into the room. They barely remembered to say hello to me before giving my belly a rub every time the baby kicked in response to their voices.

Abuela took Leon from Yoshi and started to take Liberty from him, but I got to my feet and reached for her.

"I'd like to hold her for a few minutes."

"Sure, Jessie." He passed her to me. "Liberty's _your _sister."

"And she's very tiny and sweet and lovely."

Barely a month old, Liberty gave a contented sigh and rested her head on my shoulder when I pressed a kiss to her forehead. She even started to suck her thumb, a habit she uses to lull herself to sleep, and sure enough, her eyelids began drooping.

"No, no, no, chica." I cooed, gently running a palm over her silky blond hair. "You can't sleep already because you just woke up!"

My baby sister yawned hugely, but it was as if she understood me because she started making soft cooing noises to keep herself awake. When I looked back at the others, I immediately saw that Abuela and Amaya were smiling fondly at me.

"What?"

"Motherhood looks really good on you." Abuela informed me. "You remind me a lot of Delaney right now."

"Yeah, well, the difference between mama and me is that I'm covered in tattoos and scars. I never had a choice in any of the tattoos and the life of trouble I used to lead has gotten me battle scar after battle scar, so all of it makes me super ugly!"

"Don't go all Jessie Raincloud on us!" Amaya protested, knowing all about my former bad girl ways. "Jessica Rose Arcadia Esposito, you are one hundred percent gorgeous, no matter what!"

"You listen to her," Abuela spoke sharply before quickly softening up. "However, I have a question for you."

"Oh?"

"Are you ready to do it all over again?"

I nodded. "Absolutely, but _I'm _wondering if Yoshi's ready. It's going be interesting to see how he is with an infant…"

The sound of two small babies laughing in delight reached our ears and we saw that Yoshi now had Leon and Keiko now, playing with them. I've always known that Yoshi is good with kids because he practically raised his brothers and sisters for a few years, but seeing him so happy, unburdened and carefree with my baby brother and his baby sister was just further proof of something else—Yoshi is going to be absolutely fantastic with our son, just like he is with Leon, Keiko, Bella and even Grace and baby Liberty.

He became so caught up in the moment that he didn't even realize we were watching.

* * *

Much to my delight, my parents were able to make it back from their workplaces a lot earlier than we all anticipated, and I was especially glad because my nerves were beginning to get to me. My parents were nothing but soothing and supportive when they found me having a mini panic attack of sorts on the couch in the living room.

"Why are you crying, niña?" papa asked, giving me a soothing backrub. "Are you nervous about your surgery?"

"No." I winced as the baby delivered a sudden strong punch just above my navel. "I'm not nervous because I trust the surgical team, and because Yoshi will be with me the whole time."

"Then what's getting to you?"

"I keep remembering to this point in my pregnancy with Bella. It's in the past, but the fear is coming back now, and it's almost paralyzing."

"This was the point when you were deep in labor but resting in that alley because Leila hadn't found you yet, right?" Mama asked.

"Bingo." I confirmed. "The only other time in my life that I've ever been that scared was when I was abandoned at Johanna Beckett's funeral!"

Mama pulled me close and pressed a kiss to my temple. "There is nothing more terrifying than the feeling of being utterly alone, _but _like you said—that's all in the past, and you don't have to worry about it because now you have the best support system anyone could ever ask for. It's all gonna be okay, baby girl."

Her words were comforting, but I didn't have a chance to respond because the baby hard given me his hardest kick yet.

"Jeez!" I massaged the area as the baby started making use of his elbows. "Mama, were all of us this aggressive?"

She shook her head. "We obviously don't know about Liberty, but you and Leon kicked me the most. Gracie was a pleasant little angel."

I arched my back after her answer because the baby had suddenly pressed himself up against my ribcage without warning. It felt very disconcerting to feel a tiny pair of baby feet kicking me there, and it left me feeling winded. I didn't stop papa when he put a hand in the small of my back, trying to help me feel some relief.

"Could you be in labor right now?" he asked in a gentle tone.

"No!" I shook my head angrily. "I can't even consider that right now because giving birth the natural way would probably _kill _the baby or me! You know that!"

Mama gave papa a swat on the side of his head, scolding him. "Good going, Javi! Now she's gone from crying to feeling better to totally pissed off in about five minutes, and she's bringing a baby into the world today!"

They started squabbling with each other, an effect of their lifelong relationship. I ignored them both, speaking to the room at large.

_"Where _is Yoshi?"

As if by magic, he appeared in the doorway and hurried over, pulling me to my feet. _"There _you are; it's time to go! Are you feeling better?"

"More or less." I shrugged. "Let's go!"

"What about your parents?"

"They'll catch up eventually," I tried my hardest to not sound super cranky. "But let's _go! _I'm ready to get this baby out of me!"


	35. Expect The Unexpected

**Note to Stanatic 13: your enthusiasm warns my heart big time. I was thinking of you while writing this chapter :)**

Before I was taken into surgery, Yoshi and I were adamant on one thing: having some time with Bella. She's been bouncing off the walls for the past day, but now she's been uncharacteristically quiet.

"What's the matter, Bella-chan?" Yoshi asked, lifting her onto my gurney so she could be near me. "You're super quiet."

She let out a breath she'd been holding in. "I'm really excited about meeting y brother, but what if he's extra special 'cause he can't see, or what if he has autism? Or what if it's _both? _I'm his big sister, so it's my job to think about that kind of thing!"

My heart went to pieces, hearing Bella's worry, so I held her as close as I could in a hug. "I appreciate your concern, but you know what? Even if he _is _born extra special, we'll still love him and treat him just the same."

"Could I teach him Braille?"

"Of course you can!"

Bella glanced at Yoshi. "How can I help if he has autism?"

"Just be extra patient and learn to put up with his weird quirks. _My _parents were patient with me, and they put up with every weird thing I did, liked or said."

"Really?"

"Really."

Bella was leaning against my belly and she giggled when the baby elbowed her, but she kept her hands on the bump as she looked up at us.

"What's my brother's name? Does he have one yet?"

I nodded. "He has a name that daddy and I decided on yesterday."

"We'll tell you, but you have to keep it a secret." Yoshi added. "Can you keep a secret until later on?"

Bella nodded enthusiastically. "I promise!"

"Your brother's name is Calvin Kerrigan Serizawa."

"Wow, what a great name!" She paused, thinking. "Was he named after Tía Missy's fiancée?"

"Him, as well as Alexis' husband."

"Then wouldn't his name be Calvin Ashley?"

"Yes, but Tío Ashley isn't fond of his name."

"So is Kerrigan his middle name?"

"That's exactly right, but remember that little Calvin's name is a secret."

"I remember!" she chirped.

"Good girl." I held my arms out to her. "Now please give me a hug, mija"

Bella gladly obliged and sat with me for a few moments before papa came in from the waiting room to collect her and give Yoshi and me a final good luck wish. A few minutes later, Emily Ryan entered the room, dressed in her surgical scrubs, and she was all smiles.

"Hello, you two! Are you ready to go the delivery room now?"

"Absolutely!" Yoshi chirped.

"You have no idea!" I groaned as the baby kicked me. "You've had a baby before, Emily. Did Dash drive you bonkers?"

"Not nearly as much as your little tyke seems to be. Is he elbowing you?"

"Yes. Can we please go? This is _extremely _uncomfortable!"

I took deep breaths to calm myself down as the baby started kicking away with both feet, but it wasn't working, so I began to cry in frustration. Emily was very soothing as she helped me lay back.

"We're going now. Just hang on."

* * *

_Yoshi's Point of View _

I only left Jessica's bedside during the final prep stage to change into my scrubs and by the time I got back to the delivery room, she was all ready to go, but she was approaching hysterics. My mother and her mother—both of whom we requested beforehand—were doing their best to soothe her as the doctors began setting up the curtain divider that would block her view of the procedure. I was the only person who could calm Jessica down.

"What's up, anata?"

"I can't help it, but I keep flashing back to when I was in the delivery room having Gabriella! The labor took hours and when I started pushing, I wanted Leila to come in, but they wouldn't let her because everyone in that hospital knew Leila Ryan had history as a junkie!"

"That was quite unfortunate," I sympathized, wiping her tears with my fingertips. "But everything right _now _is absolutely perfect because you have me, your mother, and my mother all right here with you, ready to help you bring our boy into the world. None of us are going to leave until you want us to."

Mom and Lanie nodded in reassurance, and this really bolstered Jessica's confidence because she laced her fingers in mine and turned to the waiting surgical team.

"Let's do this."

* * *

Before I knew it, Emily had administered the anesthesia to Jessica's belly while mom, Lanie and I did our best to keep Jessica from getting too freaked out because while she had assured everyone earlier that she was fine, the idea of being wide awake during surgery still wasn't sitting well with her.

But bless Emily's heart because she talked us through each stage of the surgery even though the curtain divider was blocking our way, but a brief pause as she told us that she was pulling the baby out gave us a moment of discomfort.

"Emily, why did you pause?" I asked, instinctively gripping Jessica's hand as we heard our child's first cries. "Is there something wrong?"

"Not at all, but now I know why your son got so fidgety this morning—he wasn't alone in there!"

A split second of stunned silence was felt on our end before Jessica reacted. "Excuse me? Are you saying that I was carrying _twins, _and I didn't even know it?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, but it looks like this one was hiding."

I found my voice, but it sounded far away to me. "Do we have another son?"

"Actually, no. Congratulations—Twin A is a girl!"

I became so surprised by this news that I wasn't even sure what Jessica's response was because my vision had turned hazy momentarily, and I even feel myself start to sway a tad. Fortunately, I felt a strong pair hands grab my shoulders to steady me.

"Easy, Yoshi." Soothed Lanie. "Focus."

"But I have another daughter…"'

"That's right," she confirmed. "But if you don't focus, you're going to completely miss the birth of your son!"

Not wanting that, I forced myself to focus, just in time to hear: "Baby boy is here now, too!"

* * *

After Emily showed me how to cut my kids' umbilical cords, I made my way back to Jessica and kissed her full on the lips.

"We're parents again, and we have _two _babies!"

She gave a tired nod. "We have a son _and _a daughter. I guess baby girl was hiding…"

Mom added in her two cents worth. "I didn't know that Mitsunobu was there until about halfway through that pregnancy."

"That makes me feel a little bit better," Jessica admitted. "But I really want to hold my babies now!"

"Then wait no more!" Lanie chirped as she headed over to us, carrying a wiggling quilted bundle in her arms. "Emily and I have them right here!"

I watched as they placed the babies in Jessica's arms. The little ones were crying, but they stilled when Jessica spoke softly to them.

"Hola, babies! I'm so glad that you two are safe and sound in my arms now. Your daddy and I didn't even expect one of you, but don't worry—it's all okay!"

When it was my turn to hold them, I sat down in a rocking chair that Lanie and Amaya had provided before making a quiet exit together. For a few moments, I had eyes only for my children.

"Hi, little ones—I'm your daddy, and I'm just as excited as mama is that there are two of you, but that just means it's all going to be twice as much fun!"

My daughter and son had been getting a little squirrelly as I held them, but just like they had with Jessica, they both began to calm down when they realized they were hearing my voice because they knew it so well. Not even two hours old, they did everything they could, trying to lift their heads in order to locate my voice with their little ears. I couldn't keep my heart from turning to mush at all.

* * *

Emily spoke to Jessica and I a little bit later while Jessica was getting stitched up by another doctor.

"There are some important things we need to talk about before the babies head to the nursery and I take Jessica to recovery."

My girlfriend and I forced ourselves to look away from our children.

"Are either of them blind like Jessie and I are?" I blurted.

"Both of your babies are perfectly healthy in every way possible, particularly in the way of sight."

Jessica and I were so overwhelmed with relief that we started to cry tears of joy. Emily let us go for a few moments before offering us tissues.

"Have you two decided on names yet since you've had some time with your kids now?" she asked when we were more composed.

"Actually, we have." Jessica sounded tired but proud as she kissed our son's forehead and adjusted his little cap over his head of thick dark hair. "This little guy here is Calvin Kerrigan Serizawa."

"What a strong name." Emily commented, making a note on her clipboard. "What's your daughter's name?"

"Destiny Amaya Serizawa." (My heart turned to mush again as baby Destiny snuggled close to me at the mention of her name even though she didn't fully understand me yet) "Our daughter's namesakes are a friend of Jessica's, as well as my own mother."

Emily made another note on her clipboard before looking up and speaking directly to me. "It's time for Calvin and Destiny to go to the nursery for a bit while I take Jessica over to the recovery wing so she can have a nap. Would you like to go collect Bella and tell the others now?"

"That sounds like a great idea to me." I turned to my girlfriend for her opinion. "Is that all right with you?"

She nodded and yawned sleepily. "Go ahead and go. We'll all be in good hands."

I kissed her on the forehead. "Okay. I'll be right back with Bella."

"Could you also make the announcement about my 'extra passenger' and tell everybody the twins' names? I want to hear about the reactions."

I grinned at the idea and kissed her again. "See you soon, anata."

My words were rewarded with an even sleepier smile, so I got up and deposited Destiny into a nurse's arms, leaving as quietly as possible so Jessica could fall asleep faster.

* * *

When I arrived at the waiting room, I saw my mom and Lanie with Bella, Javier, Ophelia Esposito, and Jim, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that Kate, Rick, Martha, her older sister Serenity, both of my grandparents, Jeffery, Sophia, Calvin, Melissa, Alexis, Ashley, Toby and Abby had also arrived to wait for news. Each and every one of them looked in my direction when I finally walked in.

(I'm not one who likes to be the center of attention too much and for too long, so I took a deep breath and let it out, centering myself as best I could)

"Attention, everybody! I have some extra special news to share with all of you: Jessica and I have not only a new son now, but also a new _daughter, _too!"


	36. One Love

For the second time in one day, I experienced a stunned silence in regards to my newborn children, but it was quickly broken by Toby, who gave a sudden frightened squeak and took one big step to his right, narrowly avoiding Bella, who had started to sway on the spot.

"Bella go tippy! No like!"

Luckily, Alexis was in the chair behind Bella so she was able to catch her. "I've got you, kid. You're okay."

I quickly hurried over and knelt down to support my daughter so she didn't topple over. She looked me straight in the eye, readjusting the frame of her glasses as they slid a little bit.

"Daddy, did you just say that I also have a _sister?" _

"I did."

"How come we didn't know about her before? Was she hidin'?"

"She totally was!"

This idea tickled Bella and made her giggle. "She's not even a whole day old and she knows how to be tricky! Please can I go see her and my brother?"

"In a second, princess. I still need to tell everybody the babies' names yet."

Bella nodded in agreement and let me get up to address the waiting the crowd.

"Jessica and I are pleased to announce the arrival of our daughter Destiny Amaya and her twin brother, Calvin Kerrigan. We're even more pleased to report that the babies are one hundred percent healthy."

My announcement was followed by a tidal wave of cheers, and most of my friends and family were on their feet, congratulating me and shaking my hand. Calvin and Ashley approached me in the middle of it.

"Did you and Jessica name your son after Ashley and me?" Calvin asked.

"After the cool older brothers we never had and always wanted? Absolutely!"

"Thanks, bro!" Calvin gave me a pat on the back. "That means a lot!"

I was about to respond, but mom interrupted by coming over and giving me a tight hug. It was a miracle that she could speak because she was crying happy tears.

"You gave your daughter _my _ name." she gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, mom."

Aware that Bella was practically going crazy with anticipation, I turned my attention to her and offered her my hand. "Are you ready to go visit mama, Destiny and Calvin right now?"

She happily took my hand in hers. "Daddy, I've _been _ready!"

Smiling at her enthusiasm, I gave the others a few specific instructions about visiting hours, and left with Bella, telling her all about her new siblings.

* * *

_A few hours later, 2:30 PM _

Bella has already fully embraced her role as big sister and she loves holding the twins, but Jessica and I can both tell that she's getting bored. I wasn't sure about how to cure her boredom until I got a text from Lanie.

_'Javier and I are on our way up right now. He's going to spring Bella and take her back to our place for the rest of the day. I will be taking you shopping.' _

I exited to Bella, who was perched on the sofa, reading a Braille copy of _Matilda. _"Guess what, mija?"

She looked up from her book. "What's that?"

"Abuelo and Abuela are on their way up right now!"

Her face lit up and she was on her feet in a heartbeat. "Am I gonna go to their house to play? I wanna tell them and Gracie and Leon and Liberty all about Dessie and Cal!"

I chuckled at the nicknames. "Yeah, I'm sure you'll see them, but I think you should go get ready."

She agreed with me and hurried off to collect her toys and shoes. Jessica looked at me from her bed, where she was holding the babies, who were both snoozing.

"Why are my parents really coming?"

"Javier wants to give Bella a change of scenery, and Lanie wants to take me shopping."

Jessica snickered, knowing that shopping is not my strongpoint. "Just be glad that Ophelia isn't the one who wanted to take you shopping."

I shuddered at the thought because although Jessica's grandmother is a very pleasant woman, she enjoys shopping a tad more than a regular shopper would. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to formulate a witty remark because Lanie and Javier arrived at that precise moment and within ten minutes, we'd all said our goodbyes and I was being whisked away by Lanie to the elevator, faster than I had time to think about what was happening. She and I didn't even have a proper conversation until we were in her car and pulling out into traffic.

"Kiyoshi, do you know why we're going shopping?"

I straightened up at the mention of my full name. "To get supplies for Destiny?"

"Bingo. It's not anybody's fault that she was hiding behind Calvin, but that little girl doesn't even have proper clothes to wear."

"How am I going to find some girly things for my baby girl that won't clash? I'm colorblind…"

"Good thing I'm coming, then." She teased. "I have another question—when are you going to pop the question to Jessica Rose?"

I hung my head, already feeling defeated. How did I not realize that this whole trip was an excuse for her to ask me questions like that?

It's going to be a long day…

* * *

I lost track of how many shops we hit at the mall, but we eventually ended up at Babies R' Us, where I found something extra cute: an infant-sized onesie with a mini tutu attached. What's more is that right in the middle of the tiny garment was a sequined heart which bore the words, _One Love. _

I knew had to get it because Jessica would love it, and even though it looked nice to me, I felt a little robbed because I couldn't see the colors like everybody else can. Yes, I'm colorblind, but not the proper kind because due to an eye defect I was born with, I've only ever seen the world in black and white.

Thank goodness for Lanie.

"Oooo! Yoshi, that's a really cute onesie!" she chirped, inspecting it herself.

"Yeah? Will Destiny look beautiful in it?"

"Totally!" she put it in her cart and then looked at me, curious about something. "Jessica has mentioned before that you're colorblind, but she's never said to what extent."

"I see in Grayscale, kind of like a dog, because of something I was born with. Both of my brothers have the same condition because we inherited it from our dad. It bums me out that I don't know that much about the concept of color, but you have no idea how _relieved _I am that none of my kids also have to deal with this. What?"

Lanie was grinning slyly at me now. "You just said 'none of my kids.' Does this mean you count Bella, too?"

"I always have, and I always will." I answered proudly as I remembered how I'm the only father figure Bella's ever truly known. "Please don't tell anyone, but when I propose to Jessie, I'm going to ask her if I can adopt Bella, since she's my daughter in every other way now."

Lanie made a happy noise and gave me a quick hug. "This day just keeps getting better and better!"

"Promise you won't tell what I just told you?"

"I promise."

My stomach rumbled at that particular moment, disrupting our conversation and before I could even make a lame joke, Lanie was already telling me to go find a place for us to eat while she paid for the purchases. Knowing that she would swat me on the head if I stayed any longer, I didn't hesitate in agreeing with her instructions.

* * *

When we got back to Jessica's room, Lanie stayed long enough to drop off the bags and give kisses to her daughter and newborn grandchildren, but Jessica and I were on our own with Destiny and Calvin soon enough. I showed my girlfriend everything we'd gotten, and just like I thought, she really liked the tutu onesie.

"Yoshi, it's adorable!" she spoke softly, so as not to startle the babies as they cuddled against her chest. "Who found it?"

"Me, surprisingly. I love it and I knew you would, so I just couldn't pass it up."

"Of course not. That'll be perfect for Dessie to wear when we go home."

Jessica paused and took a shaky breath, like she was trying to steady herself. I sat on the edge of her bed and touched one of my hands to the hands that were securing the babies to her chest. She started crying, and I understood that it was the post-birth hormones at work, but it always makes me feel awful to see her cry anyway.

"What up, Jessie?" I wiped her tears. "Talk to me."

"Every single day since we met in recovery after the blood transfusion, I've been so glad that we became friends and that you're still here, even after I took off on that 'quest for justice.' I've been even more glad that you love, even though you know all about my former bad girl ways and every last bad things I've ever done. The cherry on top is that you love Bella, adore my siblings and get along really well with my parents. Things have been the epitome of whirlwind for us, but I really wouldn't have it any other way. I've never been so happy in my life before. I mean, we have two more kids now, and I never thought it would happen again."

I kissed her on the forehead. "I wouldn't have it any other way, either, and I've also never been this happy in my own life before. The biggest thing you've taught me is that it's possible to find your other half and still be loved… even though I'm… different."

"You taught me the same thi—oh, it looks like the little miss might want a change of scene. How about it?"

Destiny was getting squirrelly, I picked her up and slowly walked around the room with her, talking to her in a soft tone, soothing her. When she was calmer, I sat down with her in a rocking chair by the window. She was content now, especially after I freed her arms and hands from the blankets and found my fingers when I stroked her cheek, holding on as tight as she could to one of my fingertips.

Boy, was I a gonner.

"I'm so glad you're here, Destiny Amaya." I kissed her on the tip of her nose. "I love you and your brother and sister forever and ever, so please don't forget that. I feel bad that we didn't know you were there because if we _had _known, we would've talked to you as much as we talked to Calvin, but you know what, little one? Now that I have Calvin, Bella, your mother and you—the best surprise anyone could ask for—I have everything I've ever wanted. You know what else? Just like your mother, I've never felt so happy or so complete in my life before, and I hope that you understand what that's like one day."

I lifted Destiny closer and pressed a kiss to her forehead this time, and it had her sighing contently. When I ran one of my fingers over one of her tiny hands, her fist opened out of reflex but then she tightened her fingers over my fingertip with a little more intensity than she'd had earlier.

"You like this, don't you, baby girl? You like being by daddy, huh?"

My littlest daughter gave an even more audible sigh of contentment and my heart turned to mush.

Like I said—I was a total gonner.


	37. Saturday

_Four days later, June 14 _

_Shaw house, Melissa's Point of View _

At three months pregnant, I feel absolutely great.

Today is the first time since discovering my pregnancy that I've woken up without wanting to barf my guts out. That's a good thing, especially since Flora and I have an all-day wedding photo shoot tomorrow, followed by a solid week of newborn and family photo shoots. I have enough energy to keep up with my job again, but I'm quite thankful that I have a day off today because it means that Calvin and I can at least begin discussing wedding locations.

* * *

Calvin also has the day off and is currently dead to the world on our bed. He was still sleeping even after I had showered and dressed. The sight of him sprawled out like a starfish, made me laugh and in turn, the motion had the baby wiggling in response.

"Papa is a funny guy," I murmured to the baby. "But heaven help _me _if you're a boy and take after him."

The baby continued to wiggle around and I sighed, realizing that finding some breakfast was the next order of business. I had just closed the door behind me and crossed the basement when I felt a small body collide with my legs. It was _Lucy. _

"Hey, mija!" I sat her on my hip and smoothed the wrinkles in her sundress. "What are you doing here?"

"Ssss!" she giggled, slightly out of breath. "I hidin'!"

"Oh, really?"

Nod.

"Who are you hiding from?"

That was answered about ten seconds later when four pairs of feet came thundering down the stairs and I found myself looking at Justice, Jubilation, Ezekiel and Moses, the latter of whom addressed Lucy in a stern tone.

"Lucy-boo, this is _not _how you play hide-and-go-seek!"

My niece giggled, but I stepped in quickly before things escalated.

"Mo, why are you, Zeke and Lucy here?"  
"Mama and papa dropped us off, and Estella, Adelaide and Elijah are chilling upstairs with Tío Calvin's parents!"

Deciding to look into that in a few minutes, I moved towards the bedroom, beckoning to the kids and speaking in a conspiratorial whisper.

"Raise your hand if you want to have some fun!"

Everybody raised their hands immediately and hurried over to me.

"Perfect! Calvin hasn't woken up yet, but when I open the door, you all can go run in there and jump on the bed until he wakes up!"

The kids loved this idea and were soon in the bedroom, bouncing away on the bed and yelling for him to get up so he could kiss me good morning. Calvin woke up quickly and had started a tickle fight with them before getting up to give me a total neuron-frying morning kiss, deepening it when he was cheered on.

* * *

After a little bit of inquiry at breakfast, we found out that Jordan and Rafferty offered to babysit all of Maddie's and Nicolas' kids while the two of them had a kid-free getaway weekend in the Hamptons. During the initial breakfast hubbub, Calvin and I quietly discussed our plans for the day, which included a check-up for me. The other plan included taking the kids to Central Park to tell them about the baby.

Calvin liked my idea, but advised to wait for the perfect opportunity to tell Jordan about it. We found it shortly after breakfast when Jordan and Rafferty had their hands full with the triplets but were talking about who was going to take Justice and Jubilation to their dance class.

"We could take the girls." I offered. "We want to have a day out with them, Zeke, Mo and Lucy, anyway."

The older couple exchanged looks with each other, having a silent conversation before looking back at me.

"That's fine by us, but it means that you're responsible for all five of them now. You two up for that?"

"Yes." We answered in unison.

"Excellent." She stood up, holding baby Estella close. "I'll go get everybody."

* * *

Justice and Jubilation were thrilled at the idea of spending the day with Calvin and me, but they had an important question.

"What about them? What about Zeke, Mo and Lucy-boo?"

"Zeke and me are right here!" Moses' tone was one of annoyance. "We're not invistible!"

"Yeah, okay, but they're not gonna wanna come watch us do ballet and tap all morning! Lucy, _maybe, _but not the boys!"

Ezekiel was immediately nodding in agreement. "She's right."

"I don't think Zeke and Mo will be able to handle the sight of all of the pink tutus." Justice laughed.

"They might barf rainbows and sparkles!" Jubilation added gleefully. "That'd be funny!"

"Jubilation Amaya, no barf jokes!" Jordan warned from across the room. "I mean it!"

"Sorry, mommy!" Jubilation called back.

"We'll do something good to pass the time," I assured them, trying not to laugh. "And afterwards, we'll go to Central Park!"

Everybody liked this idea right away and while my nephews and niece went with Jordan and Rafferty to get ready, Justice and Jubilation approached Calvin and me, armed with hair supplies.

"We've got our leotards on under these tracksuits," Justice informed me. "But now we have to have our hair done up!"

"Mommy usually does our hair, but she's busy." Justice's tone matched her sister's matter-of-fact one. "Tía Missy, Calvin knows how to do it, so he can show you how to do it!"

"That sounds like a great idea!" I turned to Calvin, raising an eyebrow. "And please—show me how to do your sisters' hair!"

Calvin obliged and showed me the finer points of a ballerina bun, and by the end, I found myself hoping that our baby is a girl so I could enroll her in dance class, that way I'd have an extra reason to do her hair.

* * *

_Three hours later, Central Park _

_Calvin's Point of View _

We dropped my sisters off at their dance studio, but Melissa left for awhile because she had a few errands to take care of and a doctor's appointment to go to. In the meantime, I took Ezekiel, Moses and Lucy to the nearby play museum, where they all had a blast. After the girls' class was done, we all went to the grocery store to get supplies for a picnic in Central Park.

When all of that had been said and done, I took them to a playground at the park and Melissa met us there.

* * *

"Hello, mi amor." She greeted me with a smoldering kiss on the lips as she sat next to me on the bench. "Everything checked out perfect, but for now, I want to know if everyone's having fun."

I passed Lucy to her and my heart melted a little when Lucy gave a happy squeal in reaction to her aunt's hug. "Everybody's been having a field day, but Lucy hasn't left my side once, even to play in the sandbox."

Just to get her point across, Lucy leaned back in Melissa's lap and pulled Melissa's arms around her little torso, trying to get comfortable. Melissa seemed to be enjoying it because she kissed Lucy on the top of her head before speaking again.

"Where are the others? On the playground?"

"Yes; we've been waiting for you to come back so we can have a picnic!"

"That sounds lovely," She smiled at the thought as she rested a hand on the side of her bump. "And I won't be the only one who appreciates it."

"Good to know." I kissed my fiancée again and then addressed the toddler in her lap. "Hey, Lucy-boo, guess what?"

She smiled brightly at me. "Que, Tío Cal?"

"Are you ready for a picnic with me, Tía Missy and everyone else?"

She clapped her hands, nodding happily. "Si, por favor! Lessgo!"

During the picnic on The Great Lawn, we brought up an important topic with the kids—wedding locations.

"We know we want the wedding to be here in the park, but we're not exactly sure where yet. This is a big place!"

"That's why we wondering if any of you have suggestions!" Melissa added with a wink. "We're all ears!"

"Oooo!" Ezekiel chirped. "Why not here? There's lots of room!"

"I like Turtle Pond!" Moses chimed in.

"Plus, there's the Alice in Wonderland statue!" added Jubilation.

"We can't have a wedding _there, _you goombah!" Justice rolled her eyes. "There's no room!"

"Then what about Bethesda Terrace?" Jubilation amended. _"That _place is pretty…"

"There's also the fountain." Moses tacked on thoughtfully. "It's cool."

Ezekiel put in his two cents. "I fell in once, it's kinda cool, yeah."

Justice looked up at us. "All of us like Bethesda Terrace!"

Melissa and I locked gazes with each other, having a conversation with our eyes and making our decision on the spot. She looked back at the kids, confirming the answer for them.

"Okay, it looks like we're having the wedding at Bethesda Terrace, but that's not all of the good news we have, although what I'm about to say will mostly be news to Zeke, Mo and Lucy-boo!"

The kids in question gave her their complete attention and I gave Melissa's hand an encouraging squeeze. She leaned against me and released a breath she'd been holding.

"I'm going to have a baby!"

Justice and Jubilation already knew about this, but they politely masked their excitement as they waited for the others to react first. The boys became so excited that they quickly graduated to speechlessness and suddenly seemed unsure of how to even move. It was Lucy who broke the silence by patting Melissa's belly with both hands and looking straight into her eyes.

"Baby in there? Es baby's house?"

Melissa held Lucy's hands to the bump. "That's right, mija!"

Lucy grinned broadly and hugged Melissa as tight as she could. The damn broke after that and Melissa was immediately lost in a tidal wave of hugs and kisses from her nephews and my sisters.

Even when we left the park an hour-and-a-half later, the kids talked of nothing but the baby for the rest of the day.


	38. Krista

**Note to the real world Krista: I've been waiting for ages for this one and I know you're reading it. Thanks for sticking around :)**

_June 16, two days later _

_Saint Brigid's Hospital, Krista's Point of View _

This is not happening.

This is not happening.

This is not happening.

* * *

I'm thankful that my cancer hasn't come back, but… a baby? At my age?

I don't know what to say.

It's not like I don't love my kids because I do, but Gavin and I came to an agreement when Savannah was born six years ago that she would be our last because I almost miscarried her. The same thing happened eighteen years ago when I was pregnant with her brother, Jacob.

But still—we obviously didn't plan for this.

For starters, I'm forty-three and Gavin is fifty-four, plus this is the second marriage for both of us. A third child has never been part of the plan, especially since Jacob just graduated valedictorian from his high school and is headed straight to the FBI Academy in the fall. (He was actually recruited early like I was at his age) The final deciding factor about not having any more kids came last year after Savannah was diagnosed with a combination of ADD/ADHD, and I mean the extreme kind.

Adding a newborn into the mix is not a good idea, but… it is what it is, right?

What will Gavin say? I don't even know.

I was a total basket case when I called Jordan about this morning to spill my worries, and bless my best friend's heart because she dropped everything to come support me during the appointment since I was too scared to go alone.

But where _is _Jordan?

* * *

_"There _you are!" She smiled as she sat beside me on the bench. "I figured you'd want some space since you hightailed out of there so fast, but then I couldn't find you."

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"It's okay, but remember—I'm in your corner because I understand what it's like to get this kind of surprise in your forties, albeit my circumstances were way different."

(Jordan was violated seven years ago and became pregnant as a result. She was forty-one)

"Truesay," I ran my hands over my small baby bump and my tears began all over again when I felt the baby squirm around a little. "But I feel like a moron, Jordan! How could I not notice for ten weeks? I mean, work has been crazy; I don't have much of a baby bump, and things have been busier than usual because of Jake's graduation and because Savvy's been getting a little antsy because of the end of the school year now, but still…"

"You're by no means a moron, but I think you just answered your own question."

"I guess, but I just wonder what Gavin's going to say."

"That's better left to your imagination, seeing as he's _your _hubby." Changing the subject, she produced a small gift bag from her purse and handed it to me. "Look at this, though—I saw it in the gift shop and couldn't pass it up."

Curious, I reached into the bag and pulled out a pair of tiny green Chuck Taylor sneakers. Jordan has been my best friend for my entire life, so she knows that Chuck Taylor sneakers have been used each time I've announced a pregnancy to my husband.

"Thanks, Jordan; these are really cute!"

"Now you have a way to ease the tension." Her tone became authoritative as she stood up. "As for now, I'm going to take you back to your place so you can have a lie down while I make you a cup of tea while I call Gavin."

"But—"

"None of that now, Krista Jupiter Athena Riley. We're going back to your house because you look really tired and because I know Gavin will come right away!"

There was no use in arguing with her so I gathered my things and followed her out.

* * *

_Thirty minutes later _

While Jordan went to make me a cup of tea, I went upstairs to my room. When I was resting on my bed, I heard a soft mewing noise and a few seconds later, my three-month-old Maine Coon kitten had jumped up on my bed and started slinking towards me.

"Well hello, Tinkerbell. It looks like I came back early."

My cat just meowed at me as she surveyed her surroundings, and I watched in fascination as she curled up in a ball on my belly and purred loudly without a care in the world.

In some strange way, it made me feel a little better.

* * *

After Jordan left, I didn't have long to wait for Gavin, but when he saw the baby sneakers, he made the leap of logic and spoke in a tone full of hope.

"Krissy, I came the second Jordan called, but I have to ask—are you telling me what I think you are?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure what to think."

"Why not? This is a good thing, lovely."

"Gav, what if something happens? Jake and Savvy almost died because I had severe preeclampsia with both of them, and they're twelve years apart. Cooper was my surrogate baby, but he barely made it to his first birthday before dying on 9/11 because he and his nanny were in the wrong place at the wrong time! And Angel… dear sweet little Angel… she was a full-term stillborn and didn't even make it out of the delivery room. I can't even talk about my abortion… I didn't have much of choice with that, given the situation…"

By this point, I was in tears and Gavin moved to comfort me but he was blocked by Tinkerbell because she started hissing at him to protect her territory—my belly. Despite myself, I gave my cat a backrub until she turned into mush and relaxed, allowing me to move her off so Gavin could hold me in his arms.

"How far along are you?" he asked.

"Ten weeks, and it turns out I'm due on my birthday."

"Why didn't you say anything about feeling ill before today? I'm not mad, but I just want to know."(We first met after my cancer had been in remission for awhile, and he's never seen that side of me, so it's natural for him to worry when I feel sick) "I would've helped you, Krista; done whatever you wanted."

"I'm so sorry! Feeling sick was just one more thing added to the pile, what with Jake's graduation and FBI recruitment and Savvy's behavior issues, too! And I like my job at the bureau, but this is one of the times when profiling serial killers for a living is extra stressful."

"Still no break in the Westies case?"

"No." I pulled back my shirt and ran a hand over my bump. "What do you think about all this, darlin'? Are you happy? I can't be if you aren't."

Gavin leaned over and kissed my belly with such tenderness that I turned to mush in a heartbeat.

"Okay, so a baby sets back our early retirement plans for a big loop, especially since we agreed that Jake and Savvy are enough, but we're talking about a new life that we made together."

He unbuttoned my blouse and showered a trail of kisses from my navel all the way to my forehead.

"You're not sick; you're growing a baby in there, and that's really something to celebrate, even if we're not exactly in our prime anymore."

"Way to make me feel extra old." I joked.

He laughed and pulled me into a sitting position. "God never gives us more than we can handle, so come what will or come what may, I'll be right beside you, no matter what. We'll make this work?"

"Even if I need a sabbatical?"

"Even if you need a year-long sabbatical," he confirmed. "I'll be right beside because you're my wife. I'd do anything for you or the kids."

I breathed a sigh of relief and for the first time all morning, I was beginning to feel excited.

"So it looks like we're having a baby. Do you want to find out the gender when the opportunity arises?"

"Absolutely; that way, we'll know how to decorate the nursery and Savvy won't drive us up the wahzoo about it."

"Speaking of whom, we should tell her and Jake today before they figure it out and steal our thunder."

* * *

I changed into more comfortable clothes just in time for Jacob and Savannah to find us in the master bedroom. (Today is the last day of school for Savannah, so Jacob volunteered to pick her up for me) Unsurprisingly, Savannah was in hyperdrive but today she was hanging upside down from her brother's arms as he carried her into the room and giggling hysterically.

"Who fed Savvy sugar when I wasn't looking?" I groaned.

"Mommy, I fed it to myself!" she giggled. "Today was the last day of school _and _it's Inga's birthday so her mommy brought treats for all of us!"

"Come here, sweet Savvy." Gavin beckoned to her . "You, too, Jake. We have something to tell you."

Jacob dropped Savannah on the bed, eliciting more giggles from her but they both approached.

"What's up?" they asked in tandem.

"Do you two like surprises?"

"I do, most of the time." Jacob admitted.

"Mommy, are you gonna have a baby?" Savannah blurted. "I really hope so 'cause I really love babies and wanna be a big sister _so _much!"

…Leave it to Savannah to steal my thunder just like I predicted…

"It's going to be about six months and my tummy's going to be pretty big, but yes, I'm having a baby."

Savannah let loose an excited squeal and hugged us close. I felt my heart turn to butter but looked back at Jacob, who had his nose wrinkled.

"What's the matter with you, boyo?" I asked.

"Hey, I'm totally excited, but you and Gavin are so… _old!" _He shuddered visibly.

"We can't all be young and spry like you and Sonali Singh are." Gavin teased.

_"Ew!" _Jacob shuddered even more, realizing what his stepfather was insinuating. "What Sonali and I do isn't your—hey! Don't high five each other!"

Amused by Jacob's immediate reaction, Gavin and I had dissolved into laughter and exchange high fives just to push his buttons. I did my best to maintain focus.

"Promise you'll take care of your little brother or sister the way you take care of Savvy, and we're good."

(In Savannah's eyes, Jacob is her knight in shining armor)

"I promise I'll—"

He was cut off by Savannah who had been tracing shapes over my belly. "Peanut and I think it would be a great idea to go to lunch right now to celebrate!"

I looked at Gavin. "Do you have to be back the office any time soon?"

He shook his head. "No, and the beauty of being my own boss means that I can take the rest of the day off to take my family to the park to play football or fly a kite after we go out to lunch."

Savannah gasped dramatically when she realized what this meant and was off like a rocket to get her kite, with Jacob right behind her. Both of them said goodbye to the baby before they left the room.

Why was I worried about this?

My husband will support me, and the kids adore the baby already.

Everything is going to be just fine.


	39. Kingston And Miri

**Note to Stanatic 13: this is one of those times when I really take your notes and suggestions into account ;) **

* * *

_Next day, June 17 _

_Central Park _

* * *

My name is Kingston Queller, and I'm the only son of Lucy and Elijah Queller. My parents didn't talk about me much because they never liked that I'm the 'free spirited' one of their children. I know they loved me, but they still took it hard when I left home right after college graduation to travel the country. My parents were strong believers in the American Dream, seeing as they were both children of immigrants, but I knew they were disappointed when I chose to be an engineer instead of a restaurateur like Madison or a doctor like Emily. I forgave my parents… at their funeral.

Anyway, I've been all over the country since leaving home, but for the past ten years, I've been in Chicago working as a playground designer for the city and the city's elite, meaning that I design playgrounds for schools, parks and even billionaires on a regular basis.

Four years ago, I met Ivy Price, the daughter of Chicago's most well-known school superintendents who contracted me to design a playground for a new school that was under construction at the time. She tagged along to a business dinner that her father had arranged, and I closed the deal, but one thing led to another with Ivy and the next thing I knew, we slept together and she got pregnant because the protection had failed. She wasn't too happy.

I was very surprised when Ivy told me about her pregnancy, but I was mostly excited because having my own family was something that I always wanted. I proposed to Ivy a few days later and she accepted, but as the pregnancy progressed, we did nothing but fight with each other.

The main reason we fought was because Ivy wanted to give the baby up for adoption, but I wouldn't let her because I wanted to be a father more than anything else in the world. Ivy had no interest in motherhood, preferring to pursue her career as a fashion designer.

Eventually, Ivy gave birth to our daughter—Miracle Seraphina Queller. I call her 'Miri' for short because she likes it, but by the time she was born, Ivy didn't want much to do with her.

We came to one real agreement: call off the engagement. However, the biggest heartbreak was eight months ago when Ivy and I got into a fight about her staying in Miri's life and it ended with Ivy giving me complete custody of Miri and severing contact altogether. Ivy claimed that she didn't _want _to be a mother to a special needs child.

Miri is autistic.

Miri is autistic, and Ivy signed away her all of her rights because she didn't want to deal with it.

My poor daughter doesn't speak much to begin with, and she's been even more quiet and withdrawn since Ivy left. This move back to Manhattan to be by Madison, Emily and Melissa has been a long time coming because I them I'd come, but now I think that it might actually be healing for both my daughter and myself.

* * *

The good news is that I have a nice loft adjacent to Central Park that we just arrived at last night. My sisters know that we're here, and we're going to all meet up at Emily's house for dinner, but Miri wanted to visit the park first, so that's where we are now.

The bad news is that the noise of the steel drums a group of street performers were using really startled Miri, making her run off onto a nearby walking path to hide. Miri has audio hypersensitivity because of her autism, so she can get really bothered by certain noises.

I can't find her now.

* * *

"Miri?" I called out as I looked in all of the surrounding shrubbery. "Miri, please come out now!"

There was no answer, but that was to be expected since she's nonverbal most of the time. (She can talk, but chooses not to because even at the age of three, she's embarrassed by her slow speech) I have no doubt that she's nearby, but she's probably making herself as small as possible while she calms down.

"Do you need help?"

I blinked and saw a beautiful olive-skinned woman with long chestnut-colored hair and dressed in an emerald green dress that really brought out her eyes. A little dark-haired boy in a tank top, shorts and sandals was at her side, clutching a stuffed camel toy under his arm. He was wearing a concerned expression similar to the one the woman had on her face.

"Yes, actually, I do! My name is Kingston, and my little girl Miri has wandered off somewhere in this area, and now I can't find her!"

"I'm Special Agent Krista Riley from the FBI," (she showed me her badge as she made the introduction) "And this is Kai. We'll help you find Miri; is there anything we should know?"

I showed them a picture of Miri that I'd taken about an hour ago before adding, "She's pretty autistic and there's a pretty good chance that she won't respond right away because she doesn't like to talk."

Special Agent Riley nodded and then looked back the way she came. "Did you try over there?"

"Not yet."

The words were barely out of my mouth before she and Kai hurried off.

* * *

_Krista's Point of View _

I'm glad I decided to take my badge with me when I left the house with Kai, whom I'm babysitting for a few hours. Experience has taught me that it never hurts to have my badge on my person because it always comforts people when they find out I work for the government. I saw Kingston relax the second he saw my badge, so I knew I had his trust. Hopefully, I'll be able to gain Miri's trust, too.

Kai found her in a bush on the side of the path and spoke in a stage whisper.

"Krista, I founded Miri! I can't reach her, though."

I knelt down beside him and pulled back the branches to peer in. The bush was big enough for a small child to fit comfortably in, and Miri was crouched off to the side and rocking back and forth. She looked like a little princess, dressed in a sky blue tutu with a matching headband and pair of ballet flats, but her face was bright red and tearstained because she was crying silent tears of utter confusion and fear. The left half of her body was covered in dirt, as if she'd been curled up on her side for awhile. Even her stuffed camel—electric blue with gold stars—looked like it had been in the dirt with her.

"Hi, Miri." I called out softly. "I'm Krista and work with the police. I just saw your daddy, and he's pretty worried because he can't find you."

Miri stopped rocking to consider me and she even inched forward when I showed her my badge, but she didn't say a word.

"Will you come out so I can dust you off?"

She glanced cautiously at Kai, so he introduced himself.

"My name Kai, and I three!" he showed her the stuffed camel he was holding. "Look, Miri—I gots a camel, too!"

This really sparked her interest because she actually spoke!

"Name? Camma name?"

"Sir Bev'dere!" Kai chirped, unfazed that the speech pattern of the other child was not as adequate as his own. "What _your _camel's name?"'

"Poppy."

"That name _awesome! _Please can I see her?"

Miri nodded and emerged from the bush, immediately enthralled by Kai as he began to tell her a story about their camels. The little girl flinched slightly when I dusted her off and pulled some leaves and twigs from her blond hair. As is common with autistic people, she didn't like the contact, but I think she withstood it because she was paying attention to Kai, who was now pouring on lots of charm.

"Wanna go back to your daddy?"

Miri was back to not speaking, so she nodded.

"Good! Maybe if you let Krista hold you, we could find him faster."

Miri eyed my skeptically, so I showed her my badge. "I won't hurt you, dear, I promise. Do you want to hold the badge?"

Nod.

"Great! Here you go!"

I handed her my badge and while she examined it, she pressed Poppy into Kai's arms and then slung an arm around my shoulder, signaling that she wanted to be held. It took a little bit of maneuvering because of my baby bump, but I stood with Miri on my hip and Kai at my side.

We were halfway down the path when I spotted Kingston jogging towards us, looking relieved.

* * *

_Kingston's Point of View _

Five minutes after Special Agent Riley and Kai began helping me look for Miri, the two of them were coming back down the path and my daughter was perched on the FBI agent's hip, looking slightly worn out. I jogged over.

"Miri, sweetie, you're okay!" I exclaimed when I reached them. "You really worried me!"

She said nothing but passed Special Agent Riley's badge back to her before leaning towards me. Miri became rigid in my arms when I held her, but that was normal for her so when I felt satisfied that was she was comfortable, I turned back to Special Agent Riley.

"Thank you, so much!"

"You're welcome, but it was actually Kai who found her first."

I smiled down at the little boy and thanked him, but he just giggled and turned bright red, hiding his face in the special agent's leg. He was holding Miri's toy camel but was too shy to hand it over himself so Special Agent Riley gently plucked it from his grasp and offered it to Miri.

"Here you go, angel; you don't forget your little buddy!"

Miri accepted her toy and hugged it tightly, treating it like a life preserver.

"Tank you, K'issy!"

I almost dropped her in surprise because up until now, this had been one of those days when she'd gone without saying a single word. It made me smile, though, because if Miri could make friends all on her own, that was progress. Special Agent Riley gave my daughter a kind smile.

"You're welcome, Miri. I have to get going, but maybe I'll see you and your daddy again sometime."

Miri liked this idea and waved goodbye as they left before turning back to me, waiting for me to tell her the rest of the game plan.

"Baby girl, you're covered in dirt. We need to go home and give you a bath!"

Miri's eyes widened in alarm and she tightened her grip on my shirt, silently protesting.

"Yeah, I know you don't like getting wet, but we need to have you all nice and clean for when you meet your aunties and uncles!"

Miri considered this and eased her python-grip on me as I started walking in the direction of our building.

"That's what I thought, but don't worry—it's going to be a fun time since everybody's looking forward to meeting you!"

Miri still said nothing, but the small grin on her face told me that she was just as eager for the events that the day had yet to bring.


	40. Dinner At Emily's

_Queller loft _

_Kingston's Point of View _

* * *

Miri was upset about getting a bath when we got home from the park because she really doesn't like getting wet, but I was able to distract her with bath toys, and she was fine. Once she was out of the bath, she immediately wandered away to play with her toys, completely naked. She was in her bedroom, lining up all twenty-six of her picture books in a row and every time I tried to dry her off, she would make an angry hissing noise or scream to convey her annoyance at being interrupted. (One of my daughter's many quirks I'll never understand is her obsession with lining things up) I left her alone, but the second she was done, I cornered her and finally dried her off.

Now the matter is getting her dressed.

Because Miri prefers to wear fabrics like cotton and mesh, most of her summer wardrobe consists of tutu dresses and she has many. The actual trouble is deciding _which _to wear because they're each as intriguing as the previous one. Miri has also been known to put an excessive amount of consideration into her outfit choices.

* * *

"Come on; we don't have all day and it's going to look bad if we're late to our own family reunion!"

Miri just made a humming noise, passing up an emerald dress.

"Miracle Seraphina, if you don't pick something by the time I count to five, I'll pick for you!"

She heaved a theatrical sigh and pulled down a particularly snazzy black and pink number. The bodice was made of bright pink cotton, and the halter ribbon in the back to hold it in place was made of black velvet, but I think what Miri found appealing was the bits of leopard print fabric tucked into the black, white and pink mesh because she's always liked wild and eccentric patterns.

Once Miri was properly dressed, she insisted that I fluff out her skirt, and when I did, she looked so cuddly that I wanted to reach out and hug her, but she would've screamed bloody murder if I touched her when she wasn't expecting it, so I just focused on combing out her hair and styling it into a French braid.

Thankfully, she wasn't too much of a drama queen and she cooperated fully with me. We left soon after for Emily's house in Murray Hill.

* * *

When we got to Emily' and Thomas' brownstone, they answered the door straight away, carrying baby Dashiell. The last time I saw Emily, she was in the pit of depression because our parents had just been horrifically murdered, but seeing her with a baby on her hip and her husband at her side made me, as her big brother, feel relieved that she had improved in leaps and bounds, especially because she looked so happy and content. Between my sisters and me, Emily has always been the other one of us who has wanted a family the most. I shook hands with Thomas but gave Emily a heartfelt hug before she passed me to Madison.

Now, even though I haven't seen my sisters in three years because it took me that long to sort out the drama with Ivy, we haven't lost touch with each other, but I was still pleasantly surprised to see Madison with six kids because she's always been the most career-driven Queller sibling. My triplet gave me the warmest hug I'd felt in years and then passed me to Melissa.

I've always had a soft spot for my youngest sister and it kills me that I wasn't able to be there for her the way I wanted to after her attack, so now I'm going to do everything I can to make up for that. Melissa has adored me since she was a baby because I'm her only brother and she thinks I'm cool, so it was only natural that she would be the one to give me a bone-crushing hug, but something felt a little… off.

* * *

"Melissa," I held her out at arm's length. "Something's different about you."

Madison spoke in a smug tone before Melissa could answer. "Try maybe her thirteen-week belly."

Emily also got her two cents in before Melissa. "There's also her shiny engagement ring."

Melissa stomped her foot in protest. "Hey! _I _wanted to tell Kingston!"

"You were too slow!" Emily and Melissa chimed in unison.

I laughed and shook my head; it was just like old times already.

"You're pregnant and engaged?" I gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Congratulations; you're all grown up now!"

Madison turned to Emily. "This finally means that she won't be tagging along, begging to be included. Remember?"

"Do I ever…"

"What else did she do?" Melissa's fiancé asked eagerly.

"Never you mind, love." Melissa cut him off and sighed. "That's my fiancé, Calvin, and he's just goofing off, so never mind him. Who is that adorable princess behind you? Is that our lovely Miri?"

She was pressed up against the back of my legs, and the most the others could see of her was the edge of her poofy tutu skirt.

I spoke gently to her. "Will you say hello to everyone? They're our family."

She shook her head and pressed herself closer, but upon further encouragement, she stuck an arm out and waved. That was the most we'd be getting out of her, so I looked back at my family.

"Her full name is Miracle Seraphina, but she likes to be called Miri."

Everyone, even Ezekiel, Moses and Lucy, greeted her warmly and she waved again, still hiding. Miri doesn't like meeting new people, so I wasn't surprised that she was acting like this and my sisters and their families were beginning to realize that it wouldn't be a wise idea to push Miri, so Emily intervened by telling us that dinner was ready and waiting to be served.

* * *

Since I warned Emily ahead of time that Miri is a picky eater, she made a meal of baked macaroni, Caesar salad and French bread. Everybody enjoyed the meal and Miri even wanted seconds.

The mealtime passed by pretty quickly, and before I knew it, all of us adults were talking together in the living room. I eventually told them about our adventure in the park and mentioned Miri's rescuer.

"The person who rescued Miri is an FBI agent! How about that?"

"What's her name?" Madison asked as she tucked all three of her snoozing babies into the portable playpen by the couch. "We know two FBI agents, one of them being Calvin's mom."

"She's named Special Agent Krista Riley."

It was Emily who gave an immediate response. "Kingston, no. I see that look in your eyes, and I'll say it again: _no." _

"What?" I complained.

"She's about six years older than you."

"Plus, she's _married, _with kids." Melissa emphasized. "She's off-limits."

I sighed, letting the thought go. "Do _any _of you have female friends who are single?"

Too amused to answer, Thomas, Nicolas and Calvin all shook their heads and let their women do the talking.

"Some of my colleagues at the hospital are," Emily admitted. "But they're my interns, and I'm their boss. That would be so weird."

Madison spoke after a moment of thought. "There's Melissa's photography partner, Flora…"

Melissa became defensive almost immediately. "Absolutely not!"

"How come?"

"You're too old for him, you fossil!"

"Thirty-five is not old!"

Madison jumped in again. "Melissa Paisley, you watch yourself! If you're calling Kingston a fossil, you're calling _me _a fossil because we're less than ten minutes apart!"

"Get out of that one, kid." I challenged.

Unable to think of a good answer, Melissa regained her focus. "Kingston, you have like, fourteen years up on Flora, and besides, she has her eyes on a guy now. She thinks she's being slick about it, but she isn't."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "What's his name?"

Melissa bristled, like a beautiful bird ruffling its feathers to make itself look more threatening. "Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell because we're sitting with four very macho guys right now, none of whom are going to like it if we keeping talking about girly stuff."

I nodded in agreement. "She's totally right, Emmy; let's talk about something else."

We moved onto other topics and when I looked at the clock after awhile, I jumped because time had flown and Miri was more than likely ready to fall asleep, and I hadn't heard from her for awhile. Just as I was wondering where she had gotten to, Ezekiel and Moses came hurrying in, running straight for me. Both boys looked excited about something, and Moses began tugging on my hands as Ezekiel spoke.

"Tío Kigston, we were lookin' for Miri and Lucy-boo just now, and we found them doin' something we weren't expectin'!"

"Oh?"

_"Lucy-boo is teachin' Miri how to talk!" _

I was on my feet in a heartbeat because I didn't want to miss watching anyone giving Miri pointers on speech.

* * *

"Lucy." My niece was pointing to herself. "Me _Lucy."_

Miri sounded the syllables out with great care. "L-Loo-see."

"Way good!" Lucy cheered. "Way good!"

"We fwiends?"

"Fo'ver!"

For whatever reason, the girls looked up at this point, aware of their audience.

"Miri, it's time to go." I told her.

"No!" she shook her head. "Me 'tay!"

"I beg your pardon?"

She patted Lucy on the shoulder. "Me fwiend!; _'tay!" _

"You can see Cousin Lucy another day, but you have to listen because it's time to go."

She suddenly looked guilty about mouthing off. "Me sassy…"

"It's okay." I reassured her. "Will you get up now and say goodbye?"

She obliged, and much to my surprise, she blew a kiss to Lucy. (Miri isn't big on showing affection, and even at that, she only saves it for me) Lucy giggled and blew a kiss back.

(It looks like Miri just made herself a new best friend…)

"Are you ready to go now?"

She nodded sleepily and held her arms up to me. Unsurprisingly, she was out like a light the second she was in my arms.

"I hope my baby will be able to fall asleep that easily." Melissa chuckled, resting a hand on her baby bump. "Has Miri always been that way?"

"Since she was a tiny baby." I started moving towards the door. "It was fun seeing and meeting everybody; we should do it again sometime."

"Maybe Melissa and I will have our own place by then," Calvin said wistfully. "And we'll invite all of you, plus my parents, my little sisters and my grandparents over for dinner."

Everyone thought this was a good idea and we made light conversation about it as they saw me out the door. Stepping outside, I heard the voices of my family members—old and new alike—now bidding me goodbye as I headed down the sidewalk to the subway, and you know what?

For the first time in years, I was actually _happy. _


	41. Progress

**I am so sorry that everyone keeps getting this chapter in their inbox. Technical malfunctions and spelling glitches are a bitch -_- At least it doesn't happen often, so bear with me! One more time, from the top!**

* * *

**Thanks to Jotchprossi18 for sending a review that totally made my day! Here's one for you! :)**

* * *

_June 20, a few days later_

_Saint Brigid's Hospital, Flora's Point of View _

* * *

Today is an even bigger day than when Francis underwent his implant surgery because today his cochlear implants are going to be activated. I have no idea who is more excited—me or him. Honestly, I think it's me because my son, my precious little man, will be able to _hear _me for the first time in his life!

The magic will be happening in a few minutes now…

* * *

At the moment, Francis and I are in one of the hospital's therapy rooms, watching the hearing technician get all of the activation equipment ready. As much as I wanted the whole family to be with us, I knew it would've overwhelmed Francis. Instead, I did something that was as much for myself as for my boy—not only did I ask Melissa to come along to document the moment for us with her trademark still-photography style, but I also invited Elijah to film it.

Obviously, I picked Melissa because this is the kind of thing she's used to doing. Inviting Elijah, though...it's hard to explain, but it just felt right to ask him because I know he'd want to be part of this moment.

* * *

I can't wait for everything to start, but I just have a million questions…

What if Francis freaks out and starts crying when there's nothing I can do but trust these strangers?

What if there's a mishap with the last leg of the procedure and all those promises I've made my son shatter?

What if Melissa's camera breaks, or something goes wrong while Elijah is recording?

How is Francis going to be when the speech therapy program starts? Will he like it? Will it stress him out? Will the other kids accept him?

What if I meet someone and have another child in the future, and we have to go through the trials of raising a deaf child all over again?

But what if that child is healthy? How will Francis handle that? Will he think he's defective and he's being replaced?

Of course, all this worrying has been going on in my own little world. Francis, on the other hand, has been so excited that he's been babbling nonstop about it.

* * *

"Are you in there, Flora?"

I jumped when I realized that Elijah was talking to me.

"I'm okay, I promise."

"You looked like you were in one hell of a daydream just now."

"More like I was lost in my own paranoia."

Melissa leaned forward, her eyes searching my face. "Are you sure? It looks like Doctor Grigsby is ready."

I blushed when I saw that she had finished setting things up and was waiting for us so she could start the procedure. "Sorry. It's just such a big day, you know?"

"Indeed I do. Is Francis ready?"

I tapped him on the shoulder and he looked up at me. His big brown eyes were glittering with anticipation, and I could see how nervous he was, but the joy overshadowed it.

_'Are you ready, little prince?' _I signed.

_'New ears time?' _He signed back.

_'That's right!' _

His response was incredibly fast. _'Yes, mama! Now, now, now!' _

I turned back to Doctor Grigsby. "We're ready."

Elijah and Melissa took this as a cue to get their things ready as the doctor flipped a switch on the hearing monitor. I stood stock still, barely breathing as I watched the spikes and numbers, but felt an immediate peace when Elijah gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

"He'll do just fine." He murmured to me as he, Melissa and I knelt by Francis as he sat playing with toys.

"Alright: time for the moment of truth." Grigsby announced. "Francis should be hearing us right about… now."

Just as she finished speaking, Francis' eyes went wide with surprise as his brain registered sound for the first time, and he twisted around in the little chair to look at me.

"Hi, Francis; it's mama! Can you hear me?"

I spoke gently because the implants would make him very sensitive to normal noises at first since his receptors were busy realigning and adjusting themselves. Francis was taken aback, but that was to be expected, so I kept going.

"I'm your mama, and I love you, little prince."

He tilted his head to the side, now mesmerized by the sound of my voice, but my heart began thumping hard when I heard him starting to make whimpering noises.

Two seconds later, however, my world stopped turning as I heard the most beautiful words in my life.

"W-woooov mmmmmma...mmmmmmma." My heart turned to mush, and all I could do was hug him close for a moment. "Woov mmmma...mmmma."

He sank into my hug, but when he kissed my cheek, my self-control nearly shattered. I kept it together because I didn't want him to hear the sound of my tears just yet.

"I love you, too." I gave him another hug and then directed his attention to the doctor. "That's Doctor Grigsby. She's helping to make sure your ears work!"

Francis brightened and signed his thanks to her, making his little 'mmmmm' noises again. She signed back and he waved to her, delighted that she spoke his language. Francis waved to Melissa, too, but when he saw Elijah, he just lit up.

"Can you say hello to Elijah?" I asked gently.

"Mmmmm...ssssssha!"

Elijah's knees buckled in surprise, because it was clear that he hadn't been expecting Francis to talk to him at all. Somehow, he managed to keep his cool as he spoke from behind his video camera.

"Hey, little guy! You can hear now, huh?"

Francis nodded after I gave him a quick translation and then blew kisses to Elijah with both hands.

"Wooooov sssssha! Mmm...mmm...Woooov mmmma-mmmma!"

There was a collective "Awww!" from Melissa and Doctor Grigsby, and that made Francis giggle and sign something to Elijah that had me blushing bright red.

"Francis, that's something for you to worry about later." I hissed.

"What did he say? Elijah asked, genuinely curious. "He just told me something important, didn't he?"

I nodded. "Yes, but it can wait until later."

Francis decided to be cheeky now, blowing kisses to Elijah again. "Woooooov ssssha!"

Elijah became even more flustered, while I, on the other hand, was burning up from total mortification—if mom sees one the recording what Francis signed to Elijah, she'll never let it go.

Luckily, Francis chose this moment to start yawning because it was getting close to his nap time. Doctor Grigsby realized this and did a few more adjustments before signing to him as she asked her next question aloud.

_'If you can hear even better now, will you nod or give a thumbs up?' _

He did both, and I struggled even more to keep my composure. Doctor Grigsby noticed and made a nice offer.

"He can rest here, if you'd like to step out for a moment. I'll watch over him."

After a quick explanation to Francis, I left to take a breather. I was halfway down the hall when I heard Elijah behind me, and when I turned back, I saw the look of absolute understanding and support on his face, and that's when the floodgates broke. I flung my arms around his neck, burrowing my face against his chest as I cried.

"It's okay." He soothed, giving me a backrub. "Just let it out."

"I never thought this would happen for us… for him." I smiled up at him. "Elijah, my son told me he loves me, and for the first time, he could hear me say it back.'

"That's a great moment you'll both have forever."

I leaned back, and put my hand to his cheek, speaking with lots of gratitude. "Thank you. I don't think I could have faced this alone."

"As long as I'm here, you'll never be alone."

* * *

_A few days later, Ryan house _

Francis was released from the hospital a few hours after the activation, and the very next day, he started the speech therapy program at Hudson University and has been on a roll ever since.

The therapists truly are miracle workers because in the last twelve days, Francis has learned the colors of the rainbow, the numbers from one to ten, and basic household and personal expressions. (For some reason, he finds the words 'juice' and 'butter' particularly amusing) My boy has become such a chatterbox that I'm surprised he hasn't gone hoarse!

We've seen a lot of our friends and family since the activation, but it seems that Francis is the most comfortable with mom, Kevin, Alyssa, Thomas and Elliana. I think it's because Francis adores Alyssa, and they're as thick as thieves, and he also knows the people in our family will encourage him and treat his budding speech skills with equity and dignity.

That's how Francis and I found ourselves over at their house a week later for family game night. It was also pizza night, so it was nothing formal and Francis and Alyssa were having a blast as they ran around. What I find absolutely precious is that Alyssa has taken it upon herself to teach her nephew how to talk even though he's a year-and-a half older than her. It helps that my baby sister's vocabulary is really advanced for her age…

"Wha' do yessreday?" Alyssa asked him as we all sat down to eat.

"Mmmm...isser-dee?"

"A'fore t'day.'

'Wisha pisher!" (He smoothed back his curly hair and mimicked using a video camera) "Neat-o!"

"Francis, who's Wisha?" Kevin wanted to know.

"Pisha fin! Mmm mama pisha fin!"

"Mama's picture friend? He works with your mama taking pictures?"

"No, no, no!" (That's one of his favorite words now…) "Mama pisha fin! See?"

He leaned over and pecked Alyssa's cheek.

"Pisha fin!"

"Oh, a _special _friend." Mom said with a knowing air that made Francis and Alyssa giggle into their pizza. "That always leads to fun."

"He's talking about Elijah Prince." I admitted.

Kevin suddenly had a cheeky look on his face that I wanted to wipe right off. With my fist. "The big guy from the hospital who brought you hot chocolate?"

"Don't Thomas and Elliana need changing?"

"They're asleep, so don't go thinking you can use the infants to get out of this. Am I right, is it him?"

"Yes, it's him." I sighed, realizing they had me in a corner. "We've been spending a lot of time together."

Mom raised an eyebrow at me. "Is _that _who keeps on sending you texts that make you giggle?"

"Right again." I mumbled, blushing harder as I thought of the slightly dirty joke Elijah had sent me just minutes before I helped Kevin carry pizza boxes into the kitchen.

"Why would Francis bring him up?"

"Because Elijah filmed the implant activation for me, and one of Francis' first words was Elijah's name."

"That's adorable!" Mom perked up even more as a new thought struck her. "Oh, I know! Why don't you invite him up to the Hamptons with us? It's Kate's birthday soon, and she's inviting everybody!"

"We've been spending time together, but we're not exactly a couple."

"Riiiiiiiiiiight."

"Don't _do _that!" I saw that Francis was occupied with Alyssa and spoke in an undertone to her and Kevin. "We haven't denied that we've got feelings for each other, but we won't act on them until Francis becomes more stable. Elijah says he doesn't want to put pressure on me, especially since people might balk at the age gap."

Kevin raised an eyebrow this time, acting as the protective cop dad. Even though he's not my biological dad, he still looks out for me the way he does for Alyssa, Thomas and Elliana. Since I'm twenty-two now, I think he sees me as a young one yet, like mom does.

"Age gap? How big?"

"Seven years. He just turned twenty-eight."

Mom stepped in before Kevin could drive me up the wall with a million questions. "Age is just a number, Flora, but Elijah definitely sounds like a keeper, and I can't wait to meet him! This the more reason to bring him for Kate's birthday, even if it is just as friends!"

I felt a slight twinge of worry creep up the thought of going to the Hamptons, but I grinned through it, and willed the feeling to the depths of my soul. I've spent the last five years avoiding large bodies of water because of what happened in Japan.

…Going to the Hamptons would dredge up those memories in a heartbeat…

"The Hamptons, huh?"

Mom nodded. "Yep. Is there an issue with that?"

"Not at all. When's Kate's birthday party?"

"Independence Day. Are you in?"

"Yeah, why not? I'll call Elijah later and ask him, all right?"

Mom agreed and then let out a small excited squeal. "Oh, Flora, this is going to be great! The last time that you and I were at a beach was fifteen years ago!"

"I totally remember, especially since that was when you got a gnarly sunburn that Nana Megan chided you about for days!" The next part came with a smirk. "I also remember how you tried not to curse in front of me after some kid on the beach tripped over you. They left handprints on your back when they tried to get up."

This time it was Mom's turn to blush as she tried to talk her way out of explaining to Kevin how she came about the legendary sunburn. I busied myself with checking on Francis and Alyssa before helping myself to two slices of pepperoni, pineapple and ham pizza and stuffing a breadstick into my mouth so I wouldn't be asked to pick sides in the little squabble.

As much as I enjoy being with mom and Kevin, I sure as hell don't enjoy going to the beach anymore.

Going to the beach means looking at the ocean.

Looking at the ocean means remembering what happened in Japan.

Remembering what happened in Japan means the possibilities of my nightmares coming back.

The possibilities of my nightmares coming back means that I am one hundred and twelve percent screwed.


	42. Keeper

_July 3, a few days later  
Flora's Point of View _

* * *

Because mom and Kevin are so close with the Castle family, they were asked to come up their Hamptons house with them a day before the celebration to help with setting everything up. They agreed, so I warned Elijah that it meant we'd be leaving a day early, especially since we'd all be catching a ride mom's new Mazda minivan. The ride out is going to be about two hours long, although given how many small children we're travelling with, it could be longer.

Mom called me last night to invite us over for breakfast, so there wouldn't be any wasted time, and I was happy about it.

I feel as nervous as I do happy and excited about it.

I'm going to introduce Elijah to my parents.

* * *

"Flora, when you said that you lived down the street from them and that you only had a few things, I wasn't expecting a five mile hike and three duffel bags just for a weekend trip!" my friend griped as he towed Francis' loaded wagon down the sidewalk. "I understand not wanting to drive your car such a short distance, but why do you have to be such a girl and bring half your wardrobe?"

"That's not even half of what I brought on a photography trip to Paris when I was pregnant with Francis," I scoffed as I pushed the toddler in question along as he sat comfortably in his jogging stroller. "And need I remind you that the extra bag is yours?"

"Touché, but what did you bring?"

"A bag of clothes for Francis and myself and a bag of speech therapy toys and sand toys. The rest is my photography equipment."

"You brought your camera?"

"You never know when inspiration will strike, especially when Francis teams up with Alyssa."

Elijah chuckled. "Will Alyssa like me?"

"Absolutely, and I guarantee that if you tell her you like ladybugs, she'll be your new best friend. And before you ask again—I promise that Thomas and Elliana will also like you, even though they're babies."

"What about Jenny and Kevin?"

I shook my head. "They don't bite."

"Great!" He hesitated, thinking of something else. "Do Jenny and Kevin know about your fear of the ocean?"

"No, they don't, but I probably should tell them soon since we're going to the beach for three days."

"What would you like me to do if you have another PTSD attack?"

"I'd like it if you held me again since you did such a good job of it last night."

"I can do that, no problem."

We both became lost in thought again, and I had no doubt that he was thinking the same as me: he spent the night at my house last night, and we traded life stories with each other. When I shared the story of my worst memory of him, I couldn't make it through without the PTSD attack happening. I cried my eyes out and held me close the whole time. (One of the things that really overwhelmed me was that it was my first PTSD attack in three years) Neither of us wanted to be apart after that, so we stayed up all night watching movies and just talking. It was one of the best nights I'd had in a long, long time.

We almost walked past the house because we were so lost in thought, but I remembered at the last moment and stopped short. Elijah almost walked into me.

"Come on, Flora! I need a little more warning than that because the last thing we need is me to run you and Francis over with a heavy wagon."

"Sorry," I laughed and nodded towards the stone steps leading to the front door of the house. "But we're here!"

* * *

_Jenny's Point of View _

Neither Kevin or myself have been able to get Alyssa away from the couch in the living room for the past forty-five minutes because it gives a perfect view out to the side walk and she's deliriously happy that Flora's coming over at all.

Kevin's been keeping her and the twins occupied while I've been in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on a breakfast of pancakes, omelets, fruit salad and toast, all of which meant that I was trapped in the kitchen as Flora, Francis, and Elijah entered. The sounds of Kevin's, Alyssa's, Elliana's and Thomas' happy chatter told me that my family was getting to know the newcomer and that it would soon be my turn.

With his tall height, chrome dome hairstyle and muscular build, Elijah looked like he should be a nightclub bouncer instead of a construction worker, but he turned out to be a total puppydog. The Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts and sandals he was wearing added a sunny disposition to his appearance, but I think that 'charming' was a more adequate word because of how polite he was when he introduced himself.

"Hello, Missus Ryan. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

I smiled and shook his hand when he extended it. "Likewise, but please feel free to call me Jenny. Only my students call me 'Missus Ryan,' and it makes me feel old, but never mind that. Are you hungry?"

"Absolutely!" he surveyed the spread of breakfast foods as I laid them out, and there was a lot of it, including a pitcher of orange juice. "Jenny what did you do? Cook for a small army?"

"Of course not, but cooking in large amounts just comes naturally to me because I come from a really big family."

"How big?"

"I have four older quadruplet brothers who have always been able to eat an alarming amount between them."

I watched as he began loading up a plate with food before finishing my thoughts.

"All I did here was cook enough chow for me, my husband, the kids and my firstborn's boyfriend."

The last word had the desired effect on Elijah and Flora: he almost dropped his plate and she spat out a little bit of her juice.

"Flora isn't my…" Elijah tried a failed a few times to form a complete sentence. "We're not even… She's my _friend!" _

Flora stomped her foot. "Mama, we _talked _about this! He and I are just friends, okay?"

"Riiiiight, baby girl. You two just keep telling yourselves that."

I ducked as she threw a napkin at me out of infuriation.

* * *

When breakfast was over, we got ready to go, but after awhile, I couldn't find Flora. I knew the whereabouts of the little kids, but I honestly couldn't find her for ten minutes. My heart sank when I finally found her because she was curled up on the in the corner of the office, crying her eyes out. Kevin and Elijah were kneeling on either side of her, speaking in soothing tones.

Flora looked like she was having a PTSD attack, but what triggered it?

I joined them, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What's the matter, Flora? I know a PTSD attack when I see one."

"I have a secret, but I don't think you two would believe me. Elijah does, though."

She sat up and wiped her tears with the tissues, but I chose not to comment when I saw how easily she leaned against him for support, and I certainly didn't say anything when he started rubbing her shoulders.

"What I have to say is really big."

Kevin gave Flora's knee a reassuring pat. "You can tell us anything, kid."

Flora took a deep breath and slowly let it out, smoothing the edges of her sundress as she did. "Remember the Japan tsunami of two thousand eleven? I was there."

My heart immediately twisted into a million knots, but it was Kevin who spoke. "Flora, what were you doing in Japan five years ago? You must've been sixteen, at the most."

"I was, and I was among seven local young photographers who were winners of a contest that Manhattan Art Center was throwing. The grand prize was a trip to Fukushima, Japan with some of the best teachers from the center to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime photo-op with local school children who were celebrating the grand opening of their new school. We arrived the night before it happened."

"Where were you when the quake struck?"

"At the market with Hikaru." She smiled briefly at the thought of her deceased spouse. "We met because of this project and by the end of the plane ride there, he had offered to be my translator since he spoke Japanese at home with his mothers."

I finally found my voice. "What happened to the rest of the crew?"

"The instructors made it, but I'm pretty sure the others died because we never saw them again. It was nothing less than a miracle that Hikaru and I survived that day at all…"

She leaned into Elijah and he started massaging her shoulders as he encouraged her to continue.

"Almost done, Flora! One last part!"

My daughter took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. "The water came so fast, but we somehow managed to get on the roof of a car and stay afloat that way. Hikaru did everything he could to make sure I stayed secure."

"How in the world did you two survive after that?"

"By God's grace, really. Someone caught us and pulled us to safety." She shivered and Elijah put his arms around her. "I'm excited to go to the beach, but the thought terrifies me at the same time. That's what triggered today's PTSD attack, as well as last night's."

"It happened last night, too? Flora, I could've helped you! I've been there, too…"

She fixed me with a curious look. "When?"

"Another story for another time." I promised. "Did you not call because Elijah stayed the night, or something?"

She blushed. "That would be it. To make a long story short, we talked a lot last night and when… it happened, he stayed with me and calmed me down."

"Then I'd say you're in good hands." I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Thanks for sharing with us."

"It took a lot of courage and guts." Kevin added. "That's pretty admirable."

Flora smiled in relief but didn't say anything.

"It did," I agreed. "But now I suggest you go freshen up because Alyssa and Francis will never let it go if they realize you've been crying."

Realizing that I was right, Flora got to her feet and left quickly. Elijah made to follow her, but Kevin and I caught up with him in the hallway.

"Thanks for being there for our girl." Kevin told him with complete sincerity. "I'm so glad she has you."

I nodded in agreement. "So am I, and I can't tell you how much joy it gives me to see that she's _happy." _

Elijah smiled at us. "I care a lot about Flora, and I'm glad I can be here for her and Francis. They confirm for me that everything happens for a reason, but that's also another story for another time."

Before we could press him for more details, both Francis and Alyssa rounded the corner, looking for Elijah. They all locked eyes and when the little kids ran to him and he scooped them both up in his arms and proceeded to tell them what they were going to do at the beach.

Kevin and I watched them go, but after a few moments, my husband turned to me.

"Jenny, is it too early for me to give him a 'what are your intentions' talk like your brothers gave me?"

"It's a little early yet, but I'm sure you'll be doing it with the next year or so. That guy is a total keeper."


	43. Kate's Birthday, Part One

_July 4, next day _

_Storm Fall, The Hamptons _

_Kate's Point of View _

* * *

Today is my thirty-fourth birthday, and I'm excited beyond words that we're having my party at our Hamptons House, Storm Fall, because in all the years that Castle and I have been together, we've never done anything like this for me because I just didn't feel comfortable enough to do it. Sure, we've had all of Castle's birthday parties here, but that's because he's owned this place for twenty-two years.

I'm especially excited that our family and friends are coming because I love being with everybody… and I'm extra excited to show off the outdoor dance floor that's been put in the backyard just for this party. I won't deny that while I'm excited for everyone to be here, I'm especially excited for the dancing to start.

We arrived yesterday with the Ryans and spent the day getting ready before having a beach bonfire where we roasted hot dogs and marshmallows to eat until we were all full and sleepy.

This morning, it was busy, busy, busy as Jenny put all of us to work, getting things ready and she only just shooed me away to my room to get dressed in some kind of party attire after informing me that our friends would be arriving shortly.

* * *

As I finished throwing a swimsuit cover-up dress over my new black-and-rainbow colored bikini, there was knock at the bedroom door. When I opened it, I saw that my visitors were Sophia, Alexis, Jeremiah and Johanna.

"Hello, lovelies." I greeted them and caught Jeremiah as he leapt from Sophia's arms to mine. "And hello to you, baby Jed. How are you doin'?"

He just gave me a grin and nuzzled his face against my cheek, the epitome of contentment for him.

"Rick sent us up here to check on you, and he also wants the twins changed into something that's not covered in food stains." Explained Sophia as Alexis put Johanna on the bed.

"Everything of theirs is in the bottom drawer of the dresser by the window, if you want to look."

Sophia started towards it, but Alexis came closer as I sat with the babies. "Toby has teamed up with his buddies, now that they're all together, and they're all taking marching orders from Abby."

"Seriously?"

"That's what I've been—oof. Easy there, Tiny. Mama's almost done talking."

She'd been interrupted by her baby and was now massaging her belly to ease the child.

"Is the baby kicking?" I asked.

"She just started this morning."

"It's a girl?"

Alexis shrugged. "That's what Toby thinks, especially since the baby refused to turn over at the last appointment."

I wanted to ask Alexis what Ashley's and Abby's opinions were, but she was distracted by her baby again, so I gave her a gentle nudge towards the door.

"Go ahead and go, Lex. We'll take care of the babies now, so go find yours before they wreak havoc."

She smiled gratefully and exited, leaving me with my teenage sister and two youngest kids. While I'd been chatting with my oldest, Sophia had managed to find new outfits, corral Jeremiah with his twin when he crawled away from me and distract Johanna with toys while getting Jeremiah dressed.

Pretty impressive.

The only thing was that my usually flamboyant sister was really quiet and only going through the motions of changing her nephew and dressing him while I did the same with Johanna.

"What's the matter? Are you chasing a boy?"

"Only if they have really pretty sisters."

There was a beat of silence before it clicked.

"Sophia Lucy Honor Beckett, are you gay?"

"I'm gayer than a rainbow, and proud of it." She had been smiling, but it had faltered now. "Up until yesterday, I had a massive crush on a girl from school and when I asked her out yesterday, she said that she was flattered but very straight and has a boyfriend, anyway. She wasn't mean, but still…"

"Ouch." I sympathized. "What's her name?"

"Story Hanning."

"Well, for every Story Hanning you'll encounter over the years, this means that your future wife is out there still. When you find her and you know she's the one, introduce me to her, and I'll give her a big welcome-to-the-family hug."

The young woman grinned and that in and of itself was kind of eerie because my little sister looks almost exactly like I did at that age. "That means everything to me, Katie; thanks. If mom knew me now, would she be cool with me being gay?"

"She would have plastered the LGBT rainbow support stickers on the windows at the house, her car and her office because she'd be proud of you for being true to yourself."

Sophia's grin grew, but I kept her anchored to reality by putting a now full dressed Johanna into her lap.

"Jenny and Molly are overseeing the cooking, right?"

"That's correct."

"Then let's go see if we can sweet-talk one of them into forking over a brownie or cupcake. Every woman understands the pain of being shot down like you were."

Sophia got to her feet with Johanna, but it appeared that she had a one-track mind. "Did you say that there are brownies and cupcakes?"

I nodded and in the blink of an eye, she was already out of the room.

* * *

After lunch, I fell asleep on the beach while sunbathing with Krista and Juliana, both of whom are proudly sporting baby bumps that they're not afraid to show off by wearing new bikinis.

At some point, I fell asleep and started to dream.

I had a dream that I was playing on this very beach with a little girl, about three years old. She had tan skin, long chestnut brown hair and beautiful hazel eyes. The most startling thing, though, was that this nameless child looked just like I did at that age. She was my mini carbon copy in every way, right down to the smile.

I felt comforted that she looked just like me, but at the same time, I questioned my overwhelming desire for another baby when Castle and I have already discussed when we'd start trying again.

But that was when I woke up to find that more than half my body had been buried in wet sand.

"Hey! Who did this?" I was more amused than upset. "Who?"

The sound of small kids laughing at my misfortune caught my attention and when I looked a little ways to my right, I saw that LJ, Ezekiel, Moses, Raja, Justice, Jubilation and Savannah were building an array of sandcastles with Juliana and Krista.

My friends looked very smug, but the little kids looked positively giddy as they abandoned their activity and hurried over to free me. LJ burst first.

"Mama, we decided to be silly 'cause Ana and Tía Krissy e'couraged us!"

"And, you _have _to play pranks on the birthday person!" Savannah chirped as she wiped the sand off my stomach. "That's the way it goes at _my _house! You shoulda seen what we did on mommy's birthday!"

By this time, I was able to free myself of my sandy prison and stand up to dust myself off.

"Katie, you're not mad, are you?" Raja asked cautiously.

"Definitely not, little man."

He breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Hooray! Should we go tell mama and Krista that they're in the clear?"

"I think that's exactly what all of you should do right now, actually."

They all agreed that this was a good idea and hurried off while I hiked back up to the house. Castle caught up with me by the back door and started brushing sand out of my hair.

"Did the sand gremlins come looking for you?"

"Something like that, yeah. I need a shower."

"Then let's go."

I looked at him, surprised, but then I saw the look of desire in his eyes and I knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Not now, Rick! There are too many people around!"

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled my body flush against his.

"Please, Kate? Seeing you in a bikini, tanned from the sun… it really makes my neurons fry." (He surprised me with a searing kiss on the lips and when we pulled apart, my owns neurons were fried) "Everybody is headed down to the beach and the house will be empty, so nobody would hear me 'help you' wash the sand off your gorgeous body."

"I just gave birth to our _twins _like seven months ago! Don't say I have a 'gorgeous body' when I'm still burning the fat off!"

Castle ran his hands over my waist and stomach, admiring how fit I was. I've been working out since I had the twins, but sometimes it doesn't feel like enough.

"Fat nothing, my love. You're perfect."

Before I could come up with a response, he was kissing me again.

"Nobody's going to notice if we're gone for awhile, especially if we're fast."

"I thought this was about getting me clean."

"It can be," he backpedaled. "But some things could lead to another…"

Unable to resist his charm any longer, I took him by the hand and led him into the house. "If you're good and help me get clean quickly, I'm sure we'll have time for a go-around."

Castle actually made a victorious fist pump as we went inside.

* * *

My husband and I ended up getting the sand off my body and out of my hair in record timing, but we got so handsy with each other that we managed to squeeze in two very hot go-arounds that neither of us would be liable to forget in a hurry. Even in the aftermath of that, it was Castle who reminded me that we needed to get back to the beach before anyone got suspicious.

I agreed and went to get dressed, but I felt sad that the moment of bliss had ended so soon.


	44. Kate's Birthday, Part Two

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* * *

Nobody noticed us arrive at the beach a little while after the festivities because almost everybody was occupied with watching the volleyball tournament or the sandcastle-making competition if they weren't partaking in them. Those who weren't were playing in the water.

Eventually it was time for dinner—barbecued ribs, hamburgers and hot dogs, along with side dishes of deviled eggs, baked sweet potatoes, grilled macaroni and cheese, three different kinds of salad, coleslaw, hush puppies, tater tots and cornbread. The food was delicious and I loved all of it, especially since it was made by people very near and dear to my heart, but my mind was back on my dream-child again, and I wasn't even paying attention to how much food I'd put on my plate.

"Are you eating for two or three again, Kate?"

I dropped my fork, startled and saw that Jenny was now sitting across the picnic table from me with her own food plate.

"No." I shook my head and then raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

"Nope. We are one hundred percent done." She laughed a little. "I just asked because you really loaded your plate down."

I picked at my food, trying to figure out how to keep her from weaseling the truth out of me.

"Guess what I just found out about Sophia?"

"Do tell."

"She's gay."

Jenny almost spat out her soda in surprise. "What? I taught her for months at school, and I never pegged her as that type."

"I know, right? It's no secret that she's a strong supporter of the LGBT community, but this one slipped past me, too."

"Does anyone else know?"

"Probably. Sophia is definitely not ashamed of who she is."

"Good for her," Jenny approved. "But if you want another thing about 'family culture shock' and whatever, I have a good one."

"I'm listening."

"See that guy over there with Flora and Francis?"

I glanced at the other end of the table where her daughter was perched in her chair. Francis was next to her, but on his other side was the twenty-something year-old guy who had tagged along with the Ryans yesterday.

"Yeah, his name is Elijah, right? Are they together? As a couple?"

_"That's _the thing, though." Jenny leaned forward conspiratorially. "They met when Francis was in the hospital, and they've been spending lots of time together since then, but Kevin and I were only properly introduced to Elijah yesterday morning. They're texting back and forth all the time, and when Flora brought him to the house, they thought they were being discreet with the goo-goo eyes they were making at each other, but I totally saw it. So did Kevin."

"Then all I can say is that I'm extra glad that my oldest is already married and that the rest of my babies are lightyears away from getting married."

"Marriage? No, no, no! I can't think about any of _my _babies getting married!"

"Getting married?" A new voice joined the conversation. "Who's getting married?"

Lanie and Tillie had found our table and were now taking seats on either side of Jenny.

"Nobody, Delaney."

"Then why are we talking about marriage to begin with?"

"Because _Jennifer _there was pushing my buttons about something, so I decided to get her back!"

Jenny elbowed her way back in. "Keep calling me _Jennifer, _and I'll exact my revenge on you, _Katherine." _

"It's times like this that I'm glad I grew up without siblings, especially sisters." Tillie chirped innocently. "Not that this isn't fun, though."

Desperate for a change in subject before they ganged up on each other (or me), I threw out a new question.

"Do any of you think about having more kids?"

"Someone has babies on the brain!" Lanie said in a singsong tone as Jenny gave a nod of agreement.

"That's the conclusion _I _came to!"

"Oh, really?"

"Shut up, both of you!" I hissed. "If word gets out—"

Tillie intervened, speaking to me. "Having more kids at a future point is definitely a subject that Jung and I have discussed."

"Thank you, Matilda, for answering the question like an _adult!" _

"Any time!"

"What a shame that you didn't play along with us." Lanie griped.

"What a _damn _shame!" Jenny emphasized. "You were the nosey know-it-all who reminded the teacher to assign homework, weren't you?"

"But I _liked _trigonometry!" Tillie protested. "It was really easy!"

I laughed and sat back to watch Jenny and Lanie pick on Tillie a little more. It was all in good fun because we've always treated Tillie as the baby sister of the group since she's only eight years older than Alexis. (it's also because she grew up as an only child, and didn't meet Kevin and Thomas until a few years ago) Watching her bicker with Jenny and Lanie was almost like watching Jameson and Tobias bicker with LJ, and _that _is always really amusing to watch.

* * *

After sundown, the desserts were all laid out. There was something for everybody, even Tillie, who is a type two diabetic and has to really watch her sugar levels. The brownies and cupcakes that Sophia had sampled earlier were for the little kids, who probably wouldn't be fans of the crowning jewel—the huge German chocolate cake that Amaya had made from scratch because dad had told her it's my favorite kind of cake ever.

When the desserts had been consumed, the dance floor was finally opened up and while everybody had a good time dancing, I didn't fail to notice that everybody was looking forward to the fireworks because Castle's fireworks displays are stuff of legend. Just before the fireworks began, my parents relived us of the twins, and Alexis and Ashley volunteered to take LJ and Jameson because Toby and Abby wanted to watch with them.

Castle and I were alone on a blanket at the back of the crowd in the semidarkness in a matter of minutes. Yet again, I was distracted, but this time it wasn't my fault.

"Rick, what are you doing?" I gasped a little as he pulled me close and began peppering my neck with gentle kisses while his hands were working their way under the hem of my top. "You're so handsy today, and—oh, my God…"

My words tapered off in a contented sigh as his hands went a little higher.

"I don't know what it is about being in the Hamptons that always gets me in this kind of mood," he murmured into my ear as the fireworks began. "Unless of course, it because it's my gorgeous wife's birthday, and I want to please her as many times as possible tonight."

Another contented sigh escaped my lips, although I'm sure nobody noticed because the only light was coming from the fireworks and the Japanese paper lanterns hanging from the dance floor tent about ten feet behind us.

"You are too good to me," I purred back. "But since it's my birthday, would it be alright if _I _had a turn at pleasing you?"

His response was immediate. "Absolutely."

With that, we got to our feet and grabbed the blanket we'd been using as well as a lantern from the tent and snuck down to the beach, which was pretty much deserted. To ensure maximum security, we set up camp in a hillside thicket a little ways away from our house. I spread out the blanket and hung the lantern on a protruding branch. The light cast us in an ethereal glow and the only sounds were the fireworks in the sky and the waves washing up on the sand. Nobody would be able to hear us at all.

I straddled my husband and pinned him down so I could plant a kiss on his lips.

"Wow, Kate!" he breathed as we pulled apart. "If that's a taste of things to come, then I don't think I'll be able to last too long!"

"Shhh!" I pressed a finger to his lips. "Don't speak for awhile, alright? I just want you to enjoy this."

Castle nodded in understanding and then it was as if time stood still as we made love again, and since nobody was around, that meant that we could take our time.

Did we? Absolutely.

* * *

Later, when we were back in our house—in our bed, to be exact—I leaned my head against Castle's head to listen to his heartbeat. His arm was casually wrapped around my waist, but his palm was resting on my stomach and it made me remember something.

"When I was asleep on the beach this afternoon, I dreamed about building sandcastles with a gorgeous little girl, about three years old. She was ours."

"Why do you sound wistful? We have five other gorgeous kids right now."

"Alexis, Lily and even Abby for that matter, all mostly look like Meredith, the twins are a mixture of us, and Jameson…"

"What about him?"

"He's your mini carbon copy!"

"Oooo!" he teased, gliding his hand over my stomach. "Is that what this is about? You're jealous that you don't have a clone yet?"

"Okay, maybe a little bit." I arched my back as he started drawing circles with his fingers. "The little girl in my dream looked just like I did at that age, but it all makes me wonder why I dreamed about a child, so out of the blue."

"What if this is the universe's way of saying that we should be expecting a visit from the stork?"

"As much as I love being pregnant and being a mom, I hope that's not the case because I'm not ready for my body to go through all of that again! I can't tell you how glad I am that I switched to the stronger birth control after the twins were born."

"You know I'd help you though it if we _do _have kids who are closer together than Jameson and the twins, right?"

My heart melted at his gentle tone. "Of course I do, and it makes me love you more."

"I'm glad."

He kissed me on the top of the head and opened the window and switched off the light before cuddling with me again.

"But there's no need to worry about 'what if' scenarios on the last few hours of your birthday. Let's just relax and listen to the waves, let's just let them lull us to sleep."

"Good plan." I yawned and made myself comfortable. "Good plan…"

Just as I was about to succumb to sleep mere minutes later, I registered my husband's voice, fogged with drowsiness.

"Happy birthday, Kate. I love you."


	45. Pause

**Many thanks to my writing mentor, myboygeorge, for so many things, but mostly helping out with a fluffbomb of a chapter :)**

* * *

_July 5, next day _

_Flora's Point of View _

* * *

On our second day at the Hamptons, there was a lull in kids-related activities for awhile because all of the kids ages four and under all went for a nap at the same time, and were being watched over in the main house by Madison, Lanie and Juliana. This meant that all of us parents had time to do whatever we wanted.

I chose to walk down the beach and Elijah came with me. I knew people would notice it, but I didn't care.

"Lovely day, isn't it?" Elijah commented as we walked north from the house on the beach; these moments of adult peacefulness didn't come around too often, and I wanted to get the most out of them. "I don't get to the beach often enough."

"No?"

He shook his head. "Construction keeps me pretty busy, so by the time weekends roll around, I just wanna crash."

"Oh, I believe it. My photography is nothing compared to construction, but I understand being extremely busy."

"What's your bread and butter in the taking-pictures business?"

"Engaged couples, weddings and newborns. It's what Melissa and I specialize in, anyway."

"What's your favorite part?"

"When I see the joy in the new couples, and the curiosity in the tiny babies because everything is brand new to them. Sometimes if we're photographing more than one child and another one needs the parents' attention, I get to hold the first baby."

"Has a baby ever vomited on you?"

"A few times, but they have a tendency to fall asleep in my arms if I hold them long enough." I grinned bashfully. "The parents claim I have a magic touch that Melissa pretends to be jealous of. I have yet to see a little one fall asleep her arms."

"And for now, you're hogging the glory?" he teased.

I shrugged. "Melissa's better at handling criers than I am because it's been awhile since I had a newborn of my own."

"Why is Melissa better at that part?"

"She has four nephews and three nieces. Five of the seven of them are one-and-a-half years old and under."

Elijah let out a long single-noted whistle. "That's a full house on Christmas."

"Melissa has a blast, though."

"You ever think about having a big family like that one day?"

"Yes, but…"

My voice trailed off as I thought of what I was going to say, and I suddenly felt embarrassed. Instead of speaking, I moved towards the edge of the water to dip my toes in as we walked. Elijah joined me, taking his hand in mine and giving it a gentle squeeze of encouragement. We both stood still, looking out at the water gently cresting under the afternoon sun, not paying much attention to the water lapping at our ankles.

"It's okay, Flora. You can tell me anything."

I knew he was telling me the truth, and not just saying it.

"I definitely want more babies when the time is right, when I meet the right man." I turned to him, scared to death to say it but knowing I'd feel better if I got it off my chest. "Something tells me you're that right man, and all we need is a little bit of time."

"I'd like to be that right man."

My heart bottomed out in surprise because I hadn't been expecting that at all. We're nuts about each other, but this has been the first serious conversation we've had about our relationship.

"You do?"

He grinned and moved to hug me, but I put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"I want this, Elijah; I want all of this with you and more, but I have so many hang-ups, not the least of which is my son who is almost three. We both know you can handle my PTSD episodes pretty well, but I'm afraid of being… unbalanced."

"What do you mean, 'unbalanced'?"

"This isthe first relationship I've had since Hikaru passed. I'm ready for it, but with me there is nothing half-assed and there are _no _second chances, not when you have the responsibilities I do. Francis is the same way; you've seen how hard he takes it when plans with friends get changed."

"I know, but your worries aren't a one way street." Even though he sounded reassuring, I saw a small glint of worry in his eyes. "Are you scared that you won't have time for Francis and a relationship, too?"

"Yes."

"It's okay to worry that kind of thing. I'm not a parent, but I watched my sister go through something similar to this. It was really hard for awhile, but she adjusted over time and now, neither my mother nor I have ever seen Holly so happy." Elijah rested a hand of support in the small of my back. "Are you worried about not being able to devote yourself to Francis one hundred percent like he's used to?"

"Yes." I repeated as I closed my eyes as fear rushed up in me like the rushing water of my nightmares. "All he has ever known is just the two of us, but he's already made room in his life for you, and if you left—"

"Hey, hey, look at me. I'm not going anywhere."

Elijah put his fingertips to my cheeks, traced it back to my ear to tuck a loose strand of hair back in. I opened my eyes, saw him nodded seriously.

"That's a completely valid fear, but you trust me."

"You know I do."

"Then trust me when I tell you that I'll be as patient and supportive as you two need me to be. If that means that we have to take our intimacy slow, then that's what we'll do."

My heart rose into my throat. "You would do that?"

"Of course I would." He paused a second, thinking. "You know I lost my dad when I was a kid, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"The last time I saw him, we were fighting over something stupid, but he called me that night he called me on shift and said he loved me and that we'd talk more when he came home. A couple hours after I went to bed, I woke up because I could hear my mother and sister sobbing their eyes out, and that's when they told me that dad had died on the job." Elijah paused, clearing his throat. "I was literally sick to my stomach with guilt after my mom told me, and for ages afterwards, it was very hard to let good things in again."

"Because you were scared you'd lose them without noticing, like you took them for granted?"

"Exactly, Flora." He held his hands in mine now. "I learned to see the happy things in life all over again, and because of that, I've found you and Francis."

I could only smile at this.

"I learned something else, too," he continued. "Because I lost my old man—someone very important to me—and I made it through that with my mom and sister, I learned that everybody has baggage."

My heart had almost completely melted, but I still had one thing that I was worried about and Elijah read my mind.

"If you're scared Francis might misinterpret your actions and think that you don't care or something, or if you're even worried about how to juggle everything, I don't mind saying it as many times as you need to hear it: I'm in this for keeps just like you, and I'll give you as much support as you need, even if that means you need me to back down."

"No, backing down would be worse because I want him to have a constant male figure in his life. I'm not asking you to be a replacement daddy for him, but the only men he ever sees me with are either family or doctors... and he likes you, so much."

"I like him too, and I'd teach him about everything I know about being a man, and I'd even take to see the Yankees play at Yankee Stadium as many times as he wanted, especially since my dad and I went there a lot."

"Mets." I corrected him automatically. "We do not root for the Evil Empire in our house."

"My point, Flora, is that there are so many memories I have of those short years I had with my father that I want to pass on to Francis. Those milestone, watershed moments for a son and a father from his first day of school to his first sports game, his first straight-A report card, the first man to man talk, his first love. Those are moments I want and can see us having in the future. Hell, he already knows about kissing because Alyssa was telling him about it yesterday."

I giggled at this, not surprised. "And what would it be like if we found out a future sibling of Francis' would have special needs or an illness that requires constant attention and support?"

Elijah kissed me on the forehead. "Then we would handle it together as a team, a family. If it came down to therapy and/or numerous hospital visits, I wouldn't back down. Part of being in a relationship is about having each other to lean on, but an equally strong part is having someone to freak out with you if those hospital visits are cause for worry, but the most important thing to remember is you are not alone. Not anymore, not ever."

That did it for me—in one swift move, I was on my tiptoes and kissing him passionately. It was like...like nothing I'd ever had in my life; I'm no stranger to kissing, being a widow and mother, but this was so much different than with Hikaru. This was our special moment, the start of something wonderful and new for us both.

Then the kiss deepened, his hands on my back pulling me close; the feel of his body against mine, a body toughened by years of working manual labor, was so thrilling, so sensual, that I couldn't refrain from giving a little moan.

Our enthusiasm got the better of us, though…

A moment later we lost our footing in the sand and crashed into the shallows along the shore. After letting out a surprised squeak against his lips, I felt him begin to shake with laughter, and when we sat up, we were both cracking up.

"That's one hell of a first kiss!" I pushed my hair away from my face. "We'll never forget that one."

"No argument there!" he leaned forward and kissed me again. "Does this mean I have the pleasure of calling you my girlfriend now?"

I purposefully splashed at Elijah as he got to his feet. "Only if I can call you my boyfriend."

"Sounds good to me!"

I grinned, held up my hands to him. "Fantastic! Now help me up so we can go back to the house to shower and change!"

* * *

By the time we got back to the main house, Francis was among one of the early nap risers who were already awake and playing on the beach. When my boy saw us, he dropped everything he was doing and ran over.

"Mmmmama we'!" he had recoiled slightly after hugging me around the knees and realizing that I was drenched. "Why?"

Elijah and I knelt down in front of him, so that we were all eyelevel. Francis was immediately wary.

"We fell over in the water because we were excited about something." I told him.

"Beebee? Mmmm I bo?"

"No, no babies."

He touched his hands together, one on top of the other. "Mmm...meewee Wisha?"

"No, that's also not it."

Francis actually breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against Elijah for support.

"Wha' noos?"

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "We talked about Elijah hanging out with us more, like sometimes at his house and sometimes at ours, because he cares about us."

Francis clearly understood what that meant because he took a few steps back and began jumping up and down excitedly, his chubby little hands flapping away. He was actually speechless with joy.

"It's only going to happen if it's cool with you, though." Elijah added.

_"Way _coo'!" My son spread his little arms out for emphasis and then made gestures for us to get to our feet. "Uppie! Uppie!"  
Curious, we obliged.

"Wisha!"

"Yes?"

"Mmm...sssssah-mush mmmama? Peas?"

Elijah chuckled. "I can do that."

Two seconds later, he had dipped me and started to give me another brain-melting kiss, but it didn't last long because Francis had let out a high pitched shriek of excitement that startled Elijah so much that he dropped me on the sand. Mom also came running at that particular moment.

"What's the matter?" she then took notice of the state of mine and Elijah's clothes. "And why are you two soaked to the bone?"

"Wisha sssah-mush mmmmama!" Francis gleefully provided and then patted Elijah's leg. "Wisha mama buff-in!"

My poor heart was reduced to a puddle by now and I did everything I could to keep myself together; there would be time for us to get gushy in a few minutes.

By now, Kevin had wandered over with the rest of my siblings in tow.

"Jen, what's going on?" he asked, passing Elliana to her so he could hold Thomas easier. "Did I miss an engagement?"

Mom actually giggled as she took Elliana. "Not quite, but according to Francis, Flora and Elijah just kissed, and Elijah has earned the title of boyfriend."

Instead of going into 'overprotective cop dad' mode like he sometimes does, he lit up with joy just like Francis had, but before Kevin could express his thoughts, Alyssa had crossed the short distance over to us.

Dressed in a pink sundress and with her long blond hair done up in pigtails, Alyssa looked like a little doll, but when she narrowed her laser blue eyes, we knew she meant business. To Elijah's credit, he humored her.

"How you doin', Ladybug?"

"Play nice wit' sissy!" the almost two-year-old informed him.

"I promise I will."

"Give sissy lotsa hugs an' kissies? Hol' han's and...and say 'love you' ever' day?"

"All the time."

"Be good-a my Frankie?"

"Always."

Elijah seemed to pass her interrogation because Alyssa was now grinning and hugging as much of my boyfriend as she could. When she pulled away, she gave him a peck on the cheek in adoration.

"Lijah?"

"Yes, Alyssa?"

She hugged him again. "We'come!"


	46. Whispers In The Dark

**There's a bit of a time jump in this chapter **

* * *

_Three months later, October 8 _

_Kate's Point of View _

* * *

It's been three months since my birthday, and a lot has happened since then.

For instance, Lily Joy's arm has completely healed, and we had the cast removed two days before her sixth birthday in September.

Jameson and Tobias both turned two—also in September—so we had a combined birthday party for them, Lucy Àlvarez, Grace Esposito and Alyssa Ryan, since they all have the same birthday.

Jeremiah and Johanna are ten months old now, and they're growing in leaps and bounds! They've definitely got the hang of crawling, but the other day, Johanna spent a better part of an hour last night trying to teach herself how to walk. However, to make up for where his twin has been achieving, Jeremiah has shown us that he has quite the throwing arm, giving me hope that one of my kids might yet have a future in baseball.

At work, we've since moved away from the Westies case we were pursuing in the springtime because the trail has gone cold, but I'm still on edge because exactly a year ago today, the Dragon struck in form of kidnapping Jordan and Meredith. It's also the one year anniversary of Meredith's murder at the hands of the Dragon, and even LJ remembers. She wanted to go to school, but she didn't say much throughout the morning.

To add another thing on—today is Alexis' twenty-second birthday but she called me at three in the morning, crying her eyes out about how she wished that she'd been on better terms with Meredith because the last time they ever saw each other, it had ended in a nasty fight. I talked her out of her worked up state, but it was another hour before she was too tired to keep going and hung up.

As a result, I got two more hours of sleep, only to have rise at five—the time I normally get up—to help Castle finish packing for a non-negotiable three-week cross-country book tour for the Nikki Heat picture book. Not even five minutes after Castle was gone, poor Johanna woke up two hours ahead of schedule for no particular reason.

At wit's end, I called Martha and Serenity for help and they came to my rescue right away, getting the kids ready for the day while I got myself ready for work. They also volunteered to look after Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna since Castle normally does wouldn't take no for an answer and I didn't argue.

Time ticked by slowly at work, and it didn't help that all we were doing was paperwork, or that the only real conversations I had with Castle were the sporadic texts he sent, updating me on his travels.

Lanie came to visit me at lunchtime, bringing takeout from Remy's, but by then, I was too stressed out to eat. I was even feeling a little nauseated and was disappointed when even the strawberry milkshake looked unappetizing.

My friend immediately jumped to thought that only the female mind would reach: a pregnancy.

I tried to argue my way out of it, but she continued to nag me about it until I caved and called Emily to see if she could squeeze in a quick ultrasound appointment.

It turned out that she could and did.

"Kate, the ultrasound doesn't lie." Emily tried again. "That's definitely a three-month-old fetus on the screen."

I said nothing, but I couldn't trust myself to.

"Don't you want to see your baby? You're not even looking at the screen!" (Lanie had tagged along to make sure that I wouldn't bail) "Don't be like Jenny was when she had Elliana and Thomas!"

Remembering the circumstances that had led to Jenny's brief rejection of her twins, I forced myself to look at the screen.

"Let me hear the baby's heart."

Emily obliged and soon the room was filled with the sound of a strong heartbeat.

"Is the baby healthy?"

"Extremely," she confirmed. "And it looks like—"

"Stop." I interrupted her as I sat up to reach for a paper towel to wipe the gel off my belly. "Please, just stop. I can't deal with this right now."

Emily was taken aback, but she turned the machine off. "What's the matter? Do you not want the child? Rejection is common among some mothers—"

I interrupted her again. "You only have _one _child, so you can't offer any kind of sympathy card right now! I honestly don't know how I made it this far through the day because I feel like garbage, and I _would _call my husband, he's currently in a plane travelling to Washington State for a book tour, so he's out of reach for the next few hours! Today is the anniversary of Meredith's murder, but I'm trying my hardest here, Emily, so excuse me for not exactly feeling appropriately responsive to what feels like another straw on the camel's back!"

Emily had been biting her tongue the whole time, but she spoke with lots of calm.

"Legally, I can't force you to stay for the rest of the appointment, so I won't. I'll let you leave, but when you do, I want you to go to the receptionist to schedule another check-up for next month, all right?"

"Okay."

"And after that, I want you to go home and take the rest of the day off. Don't even think about going back to work."

"It's not even two o'clock yet!"

"No, but you're growing a baby inside you and since you already pointed out that I also have a child, I know what pregnancy feels like, too. I'm not assigning you bed rest, but it would be a really good idea if you caught up on your sleep because you look exhausted. It'll do your mind, body, heart _and _baby a lot of good."

While she was talking, she had scribbled something down on her script pad.

"Does your pharmacy deliver?"

I blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Does your pharmacy deliver prescriptions to their customer's houses?"

"Yes."

"Good." She tore a piece of paper off her pad and pressed it into my hand. "That's a prescription for prenatal vitamins."

"Thanks, I guess."

I straightened my shirt over my belly and got off the bed to gather my things together. Before leaving with Lanie, I turned back to Emily, who was getting the room ready for the next patient.

"Em?"

She looked up. "Yes, Kate?"

"Sorry about freaking out and snapping at you. I guess the hormones are already working."

"It's quite alright." She smiled kindly. "You're not the first patient I've had whose reacted that way; apology accepted."

Being the good friend that she is, Lanie didn't try to pry at all as she drove me back to my apartment building and when we pulled up, she offered to take the prescription to the pharmacy for me since it was on her way back to work. I thanked her and promised to text her later with an update.

Martha and Serenity were surprised to see me home several hours earlier than what I'd told them, but they didn't pry, either and made me some lunch while I played with the kids.

Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna were surprised to see me, but were extremely happy nonetheless and seeing their joy would've normally cured my gloominess, but it just made my heart twist into knots and I wanted to cry, so I finished everything as quickly as possible and went to my room to get ready for a nap.

* * *

"Kate?" I heard Martha's muffled voice through the door. "Are you decent?"

"Yes!" I called back. "You can come in!"

Martha entered and put three sleepy zombie-like toddlers on the bed. "They insisted on having naptime with you, darling."

I glanced at the kids and saw that they were arranging themselves so that Jeremiah would be the closest to me while Jameson was on his other side. Johanna was comfortably wedged in the middle, protected by her precious brothers.

Turning back to Martha, I actually smiled a little. "I think they want some reassurance that I'm nearby."

"Indeed. Serenity and I will be downstairs if you need us."

After she left, I turned my attention to my still-awake children and sang them lullabies until they finally fell asleep. When they were all out for the count, I kissed each one of them on their foreheads and pulled my comforter over all of us. I snuggled up to them and focused on the sounds of their breathing.

"Mama loves you, babies."

* * *

My words were whispers in the dark, so they didn't wake up, but I soon became aware of the child in my womb wiggling around like a tadpole. Instinctively, I ran my hand over my belly to soothe to calm the baby, but I still couldn't bring myself to say anything.

Instead, I thought back to my birthday at the Hamptons my daydream of the little girl I built sandcastles with and how Castle later promised to stand by me if we ended up with a small age gap between the twins and whoever came after them.

That scenario has become reality, and I don't even know how to tell Castle about it. I have no doubt that he'll be calmer than I've been, but it feels cheap to tell him over the phone or Skype, and I don't want him to get in trouble for coming home this early into the tour.

(I think I'll wait until he comes home... I can handle it…)

I also remembered talking about my current situation as a _plausible _circumstance.

As for the baby, I don't dislike it, but I still don't know what to think because I feel so overwhelmed.

I want to tell the baby that I love him or her, just as much as I love Alexis, Lily Joy, Jeremiah and Johanna, but I can't even think straight right now!

Emily was right—I really _can _do with some sleep…


	47. Bonding Moments

**Note to Jotchprossi18 and Stanatic13: if I could erase homework and things like that, I would ;)**

* * *

I woke some time later to the sounds of excited giggles and whispers.

"LJ, shhh!"

"But Lexie, she's movin'!"

"You still have to be quiet, though!"

LJ scoffed. "But you're also here 'cause you hafta wake her!"

I opened my eyes and sat up at this point, startling LJ, who was perched on my bed.

"Hi, Baby Bird," I yawned and pulled in for a hug before turning to my other daughter. "And happy birthday, Alexis."

She grinned and joined us on the bed, hugging me. "Thanks, mom."

LJ spoke up. "Mama, I gotta go tell Gram that you're awake now 'cause she said that three hours is enough!"

"I've been asleep for three _hours?" _

"Yep! Me and Lexie snuck in here a little bit ago to get the little kids and then I helped Serenity change Johanna's diaper! It was really g—"

"Shush, LJ!" I laughed and put a hand over mouth. "We don't need to hear that!"

LJ moved my hand away. "Sorry, mama! See you in a couple minutes!"

She gave me a peck on the cheek and hurried out, leaving me with Alexis.

"Did I plan a party and forget, or something?"

"Yes, actually. Gram and Serenity have taken over, and we haven't stopped them. Are you good?"

"Yes, and I've been looking forward to this party." I patted her on the leg. "Can I ask you something, though?"

"Of course!"

"Why are you here on your birthday, keeping an eye on me? Shouldn't you be celebrating?"

"I suppose, but I learned something today."

"What's that?"

I watched as she tried to make herself a little more comfortable. Being seven-and-a-half-months pregnant is almost a fulltime job for her.

(That's going to be me in four-and-a-half months…)

"What I learned is that part of being an adult and being married with young kids means that not every birthday is going to be perfect."

"What happened?"

"I ran lots of errands with Abby, but when it was time for her nap later, I couldn't find her."

"Where was she?"

"Hiding in the corner of the kitchen, soiling her pants."

"Good Lord. Was it number one or number two?"

"Number two, and it _leaked." _

I winced. "Where were Ashley and Toby?"

"Picking up my birthday present in Midtown."

"Was Abby embarrassed about soiling her pants?"

"More like she was mortified."

"Please tell me that the boys got there in time."

"Yes, but not before I almost _puked. _Toby saw that Abby was upset and went to help her, but of course he _slipped _in it."

"Oh, man! What happened after that?"

"Toby thought it was hysterical and got Abby laughing, so that led to a fun bath time, but Abby was crying again right after."

"Poor thing. Why did she cry?"

"Abby was convinced that she'd been bad enough to be sent away. It took a lot of convincing and reassuring, but we told her that we love her and that she's going to be part of our family forever."

"Awww. Did she feel better?"

Alexis nodded. "Especially when Toby started chatting her up about all the adventures they're going to have together. They're best friends, and they get to grow up together—ouch! Natalie Joy, knock it off!"

I raised my eyebrows as she addressed her belly. "So my grandbaby is a girl named Natalie Joy?"

Alexis blushed when she realized her gaffe. "The baby finally turned over yesterday long enough for Juliana to get a screenshot. That's definitely a girl in there, kicking up a storm."

She placed my hand on an area near her navel and gently pressed it down. Her baby started kicking and stretching out in response.

"Looks like you've got a little soccer player in there! Wow!"

"Or maybe she'll take after mama and practice the noble sport known as fencing."

She arched her back, gave an annoyed huff and got to her feet. "Natalie is way more fidgety than Toby was at this point, so it must be a Kerrigan thing…"

"Where did you and Ashley come up with Natalie's name? Did you name her after my oldest sister?"

"We did!" she chirped. "Since we named Tobias after Ashley's brother, we decided to name our first daughter after your oldest sister, as a way to honor her memory. As for the Joy part, that came from it being half of LJ's name and because it's your middle name."

I began tearing up again mostly because of the pregnancy hormones. "Come here, birthday girl. How about another hug, huh?"

"Sure!"

Alexis gave me another squeezing hug and pulled away. "I'm going to go help with setting up, and I'm _so _glad we're going low-key this year—family only."

"Us, Gram, Serenity, Molly and Seamus, our Brooklyn family, the Shaws, the Ryans and the Espositos?"

She nodded. "I wish dad was here because he's never missed my birthday before, but work is work, I guess, even if it means missing your kid's birthday sometimes. Dad sent me a bouquet of my favorite Gerber Daisies and we skyped, but I just wish he was here."

"So do I, Sunshine, but you should hurry along to help out before Martha sets a dish on fire again."

Alexis giggled and then just like LJ had, she gave me a peck on the cheek before leaving the room.

My mind was all over the place as I took a shower and changed into a new outfit, but I finally slowed down when I caught sight of my baby bump in the mirror. The dress I was wearing mostly covered it, but it would take a trained eye like mine to spot it.

God… how am I going to keep this up—the secrecy—for three more weeks?

I was almost out of the bedroom when I heard the Skype chime ringing on my iPad, so I hurried over to answer it and my heart turned to butter when Castle's face appeared on the screen. He was on a bed in a hotel room.

"Hey, Rick!" Made it made it to Washington all safe and sound?"

He nodded. "I just checked into the Four Seasons about fifteen minutes ago."

"Any lost luggage this time, like when we went to the Disney resort in Hawaii? Alexis almost went berserk since most of her stuff in that suitcase."

"No, no lost luggage this time. Everything is present and accounted for."

My husband paused and studied me, looking concerned.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I felt guilty for not telling him about the baby. "It's just been a _really _crazy day, and the next three weeks are going to be even longer."

"I completely understand, love." He checked his watch. "I have some time to kill before a dinner meeting with the principal of the elementary school I'll be visiting tomorrow. Are the kids around?"

"Yes, actually! They're all downstairs, getting ready for Alexis' birthday party. They're going to be excited to hear from you."

Taking the tablet with me, I found Alexis, LJ, Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna congregated around a small folding table by breakfast bar downstairs. Alexis was helping them count a small stack of presents that had appeared since the last time I saw it.

"Hey, everybody!" I greeted them. "Look who's on the line!"

When they saw Castle, they cheered happily and LJ immediately commandeered my iPad, taking it from me to chat with her daddy. The others hurried along in her wake and I watched as they all sat on the couch and interacted with each other, crowding around the tablet but making sure the little ones had a chance to see the screen easier.

My children clearly love, adore and care about each other, so they'll all welcome baby number six with open arms… right?

Too overwhelmed with emotion again, I ducked inside the study and closed the door behind me before plunking down on the couch. The baby was becoming even wigglier than earlier, so I pulled back my shirt and ran a hand over the bump.

"Hi, sweetie! It's your mama, and I'm sorry that my feelings have been all over the place." I looked down at my belly, speaking gently and lovingly. "You're definitely a surprise, but I _do _love you, kid, I promise. I just wish that daddy was here because he could really cheer me up and cover both of us in kisses."

I sighed a shaky sigh and my tears kicked right back into gear.

_Damn _these hormones!

* * *

I spaced out for a while, lost in my own thoughts, but I snapped back to attention when I saw someone I wasn't expecting.

"What the hell, Jordan? Where did _you _come from?"

"Never mind that, Kate!" she was already pulling me to my feet. "The twins are taking their first steps!"

We arrived just in time to see both Jeremiah and Johanna were standing on wobbly legs and taking some of their first unassisted steps towards Alexis, LJ and Jameson, all of whom were cheering their siblings on. The twins had eyes only for the other three because everyone else in the room was all watching with bated breath.

"Come on, babies!" Alexis was on her knees with her arms outstretched. "I know you can do it! Come on!"

Jeremiah suddenly gained a big boost of confidence and hurried to her, collapsing into her arms, exhausted but proud.

All eyes turned to Johanna, who had frozen again and started sniffling, like she was about to cry. LJ came to her rescue by moving closer and holding Johanna's trusty toy kangaroo out to her.

"Come on, Joey!" she cooed, waving the toy at her. "You can walk, too! I saw you!"

My littlest daughter made a trilling noise and moved towards the toy at full speed. LJ backed up about a foot, and Johanna hit her at full impact, sending them crashing into the others. Alexis caught them, and they all burst into laughter.

"Good job, Joey! I'm so proud of you!" LJ hugged Johanna close and kissed her on the forehead. "Wanna keep on practicing?"

In response, Johanna chucked her toy as far as she could and used LJ as a steadying point to get to her feet. She wobbled towards the toy, not caring about anything or anybody that was in her way. The rest of her siblings were following closely behind to make sure she didn't fall.

…If they care that much about her, they'll care that much about their little brother or sister…

Won't they?


	48. Up In Clouds

Alexis' birthday party went by in a blur for me and I felt bad, but I couldn't help it because my head was up in the clouds. Not that I didn't like having everyone over, but I felt like I was able to participate easier when it had dwindled down to just me, Lanie and Javier, Jenny and Kevin, Alexis and Ashley, and Calvin and Melissa. We were all sitting on the long L-shaped couch in the living room, just talking.

I could tell that Alexis was also relieved because while she's normally a social butterfly, she was glad to just have some down time on her birthday with people who are very near and dear to her heart.

All of us grown-ups were taking this moment to relax because all of our littler babies were having a nap in the office while LJ and Gabriella played upstairs and the toddlers played a few feet away from where we were. The only exception was Tobias, who was happily cuddled up to Melissa's big six-month belly.

Speaking of Melissa, we all had some interesting conversations, beginning with her and Calvin.

* * *

"What's got you two so squirrelly?" I asked.

"We have some news to share, but we also don't want to take anything away from Alexis on her special day."

My oldest daughter waved a hand of dismissal. "Don't worry about that, Missy. Someone else can have a turn right now."

Melissa perked up at this. "First, we were at the doctor's office before we came here and today we found out that the baby is a girl!"

We all congratulated her, with Lanie tacking on an afterthought. "Daughters are so much fun!"

"Take it from us," Javier added. "Because out of our four kids and three grandbabies, _five _of them are girls."

"I hope that we can be that blessed one day, but I think I'll let Calvin talk because he's been dying to tell everyone the next part."

We all looked at Calvin, and his words just came tumbling out. "Our daughter's name is Katherine Alexis Rose Shaw."

Alexis, Jessica and I hugged them in thanks, but they were surprisingly more emotional than I was, meaning that it was up to me to say something about Little Katherine.

"We're very honored that you're naming your daughter after us." I told them. "Why, though?"

"We chose your name, Kate, because you came to Melissa's rescue when she really needed it six months ago. You know what I'm talking about."

"I do, and I'm deeply, _deeply _honored that you're naming her after me. Thanks."

Calvin and Melissa grinned and turned to Alexis, who was waiting to hear about her part. Melissa took point.

"Her first middle name is Alexis because you were the first person to really reach out to me after what happened in the park. I couldn't ever day thank you enough."

Alexis was understandably reduced to mush by this point, so Jessica spoke up. "And your dear little niña's other middle name part of my name?"

"You got it!" Melissa confirmed. "We want so many things for her, but one of the biggest is that we want her to learn how to be tough. Who's a better namesake for that than Tía Jessica Rose?"

The woman in question winked. "I'll do my best to show Little Kate the ropes."

I worked my way back into the conversation. "Speaking of Little Kate, is that what her nickname so we don't turn around at the same time?"

Calvin shrugged. "I like it, but let's keep our options open for a minute."

We all thought about another nickname, and Ashley thought of one first. "What about Kitty? It's short, and when she's a little older, like maybe in preschool, she'll be tickled to have that as a nickname."

Calvin and Melissa exchanged looks with each other—much like a seasoned married couple—before nodding.

"We like the name Kitty, and it looks like she really likes it, too." Melissa rubbed soothing circles on her belly. "She's really kicking up a storm…"

By now, we were all in a happy mood, so it came as no surprise that Tobias chose this moment to really ham it up as he sat on his knees and addressed Melissa's belly.

"Hi beebee! You kee-tee! Kee-tee go meee-ooo, meee-oooo!"

We all tried really hard not to laugh as he meowed at Melissa's belly, but our enthusiasm was fueled when Melissa told us that Kitty was kicking harder because of what Tobias was doing.

Before my grandson could get even more carried away, Ashley stood and plucked him off the couch. "All right, little man, that's enough of messing with Cousin Kitty for now."

"Time-a go?" the toddler asked in defeat. "Me find Abby?"

"That sounds like a good idea. Can you say goodbye?"

Tobias did as he was told and the others took this as a cue to get themselves and their families ready to go. Alexis and Ashley, as well as Jessica and Yoshi, and the Espositos left first, but Calvin and Melissa and the Ryans stayed behind to help clean up, something I was thankful for because the baby was making me feel tired.

As a way to distract myself, I posed a question to Melissa as I started throwing away the paper plates, napkins and plastic utensils next to the kitchen sink into the big trash bag that she was holding out.

"Melissa, have you and Calvin found a place yet?"

"No." she sighed sadly and put the trash bag down. "We've looked and looked, but nothing's clicked yet and it's frustrating because we want to be in our own place before Kitty comes, mostly so we can start on her nursery."

"How long until your due date?"

"Just under ninety days now."

Melissa gave a frustrated sigh and I thought she was going to cry, but that's when Calvin walked over and put an arm around his fiancée's shoulder.

"What's the matter, mi amor?"

"I was just telling Kate about our housing issue."

Now Calvin looked slightly downtrodden, no doubt upset with himself that he hasn't been able to provide for his fiancée and his child the way he wants to. Fortunately, Jenny and Kevin joined us at that point.

"Are you two still looking for your own place?" Jenny asked.

"We are." They answered in tandem.

"The brownstone right next to ours is going on the market tomorrow because the owners are moving to California." Kevin explained to the younger couple. "That house as an adjoining laundry basement with ours, but if you don't mind that, you should stop by the open house tomorrow!"

Melissa spoke a line of Spanish just out of reflex: "Nuestras oraciones sido contestadas!" Her words translated to something along the lines of "Our prayers have been answered!"

I watched my remaining guests leave (the Ryans with their children in tow), and it made me happy to see Calvin and Melissa in the progress of tackling one of the their biggest hurdles to date.

Good for them.

* * *

Later that night before bed, I checked on the kids to see that they were sleeping.

Jameson and LJ were both sound asleep in their bedrooms, but Jeremiah and Johanna were both awake and sitting up in their cribs, chatting with each other in Toddlerspeak. They both fell silent the second I turned on Johanna's lamp.

"You two are supposed to be asleep!"

Jeremiah giggled and blew me a kiss. "Wuv!"

Johanna copied her twin. "Wuv!"

Of course, I couldn't stay mad at them for long. "Do you two want to sleep in mama's bed tonight?"

Both twins made noises of approval, and about ten minutes later, we were down the hall and snuggled under my warm comforter together. Right when we were all getting comfortable, the Skype ringtone on my iPad started ringing. I answered right away and although the twins were starting to get drowsy, they regarded the tablet with interest and scrambled to sit in my lap so they could get a front row view.

Imagine their delight when Castle turned out to be on the other line. He was back in his hotel room, relaxing on the bed again.

"Dada!" the twins chimed in unison. "Hi-hi, dada!"

"Hi, babies!" he greeted them, "It's way past your bedtime, and you're still up!"

Jeremiah and Johanna just giggled and blew kisses to their daddy, pouring on their charm. Castle blew a few kisses back before calling out for me.

"Kate? You there, babe?"

I held the tablet out a little further so I could see him. "I'm right here, Rick. How did your dinner meeting go earlier? Did you schmooze that school principal? What's her name again?"

"Lydia McTaggart, and I _totally _schmoozed her. The dinner was great, especially since I didn't have Gina _or _Paula around to steer the conversation to business for once."

"That's always n—"

Annoyed at not being able to see their daddy properly, the twins yanked on my arms to bring the iPad back into view.

"Do you two want a bedtime story?"

Jeremiah's and Johanna's eyes grew round at the idea and they immediately gave Castle their utmost attention while leaning against me and unknowingly, their little brother or sister.

Castle immediately began spinning a fairytale-type story and although our littlest children were clearly enthralled, neither of them could fight the fatigue and were sound asleep five minutes later.

Speaking in quiet tones, we continued our conversation.

"You really made their night. Jed and Joey are missing you the most."

He just nodded, deep in thought about something.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I know we agreed to wait until the twins are two to start trying for the last baby, but I don't think I can wait that long…"

My stomach flip-flopped and I ran a hand over my belly. "Well, it looks like you're in luck."

He was quiet a second, but then he was overcome with joy. "Really, Kate? We have baby number six on the way?"

"Yes, we do!"

I carefully got out of bed without waking the twins and took the iPad with me in the master bathroom where I was able to speak in a regular tone. "Rick, I am _so _sorry I didn't tell you when you called earlier. I've been unbelievably stressed out."

"Oh, Kate, I'm so sorry! Do you need me to come home?"

I shook my head. "No. Gina _and _Paula will have your head if you come back right now, plus you'd be disappointing loads of school kids who are expecting to see you and here you read to them."

"All right, all right." He rolled his eyes theatrically then sighed. "Will you at least let me see your belly?"

"Of course!"

I set the tablet in its dock on the counter, making sure Castle could see me and then hiked up my shirt, giving him a full view of my baby bump.

"Stressed out or not, you have the pregnancy glow going on and now I really can't wait to come back."

"I hear you…"

He became concerned again. "What's wrong?"

I picked up the tablet and looked straight into his eyes. "I wasn't too receptive to the baby at first—just ask Emily or Lanie—and I'm pretty sure that Alexis, Lily, Jamie, Jed and Joey will also be excited, but we have so much to talk about when you're done with this book tour. I've been entertaining the notion of taking an extended leave from work…"

"Are you thinking about quitting the force?" he asked seriously.

"Actually, yes."

"But you love your job, Kate! Have you thought about taking a sabbatical instead?"

"Yes, but I'm seriously torn between quitting or taking a sabbatical, and that's what bothers me."

Castle looked just as torn. "As soon as I get back, you and I will go out to Storm Fall, just the two of us, and we'll talk it all out."

"I like the sound of that."

"Good," he grinned. "And now I'll let you go because you must be really tired."

"I am; good night, Rick. I love you and I'm sending extra love to the baby."

I returned the smile. "We love you, too."

Disconnecting the call, I put my iPad back on its charging dock and all but dragged myself back to bed. When I finally fell asleep with Jeremiah and Johanna cuddled up against me, similar to how they were in the womb, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders because I'd finally told Castle about the baby.

And much to my relief, I fell asleep almost immediately.


	49. Taken, Part One

**To Stanatic13: these next few chapters are because of a suggestion made a long time ago that I've been saving for now ;) don't give it away if you remember.**

* * *

_Three weeks later, October 22 _

_Juliana's Point of View _

* * *

As of today, I'm thirty-eight weeks pregnant which means I have two more weeks until my due date! Being this pregnant also means that Amaya is about two weeks behind me, so who knows? The babies could be born around the same time…

At home, everybody is excited about the babies and they've all pitched in with helping design the nurseries. Both babies are girls, and we've been able to design both nurseries accordingly so that one room is a ballet theme and the other is a mermaid theme. Personally, I wouldn't have picked those themes, and neither would Jalil, but it's what Sonali, Parvati and Raja chose as a way to contribute to the process.

We also have names for the babies—Noor and Neela.

Everything is going perfect in my life… or at least it should be…

I'm convinced that someone has been stalking me for awhile now, and I'm scared.

Especially since I think it's one of the Westies.

* * *

I haven't told anyone about my suspicions, especially Jalil, because if the Westies _are _the ones who are after me, that means that someone from the Wolfhound Pub has realized that I was there undercover. The Westies would want to hurt me for that, and Fin Roark himself would lead them because he'd feel betrayed.

But knowing Fin, he'd be torn between breaking our friendship and breaking the order of protection that his predecessor, Dick Coonan, placed on me a long time ago.

Also knowing Fin, he'd probably kill my family as form of revenge. I lost my parents and siblings to violence, and I don't know how I'd be able to handle it if I lost my husband and children because of a big risk that I took just to clear my conscience.

All of that being said, I have Noor and Neela to think about, too, so enough is enough. I need to talk to Jordan, Krista or Kate because they are the proper authorities.

But seeing as my subway car is closer to the precinct, I'll get off now and pay a visit to Kate.

* * *

"Hey, Juliana! Do you need help with something?"

I was brought back to reality with a grinding halt when I realized that Kevin Ryan was looking at me with concern.

"Hi, Kevin; I'm actually looking for Kate, but if she isn't here, I can go over to the FBI building to find Jordan and Krista."

"No need; both of them are here with her."

"Excuse me?"

Kevin shrugged. "Need-to-know business between the Captain and the FBI. If she wants to tell us, she will. Would you like to wait for them in the lounge? I can take your bags if you want."

Having come here straight from my yoga class, I was dressed in my yoga gear and had an extra bag with me than I normally would. I was happy to hand them over so I could concentrate on massaging my belly to soothe Noor since she was being extra active today.

"Thank you, Kevin." I told my friend as we headed towards the lounge. "You are too kind."

He actually blushed a little and mumbled something about looking out for his friends. As I got myself settled on the couch, Kevin pushed over a stool for me to prop my feet on.

"Are you comfortable, Juliana?"

"Very. The baby has a bone to pick with me over sitting still, but we're good all around."

"Good." He repeated. "I have to get back to work, but I'll go tell them that you're here. Do you need anything else?"

I shook my head. "Not at the moment, but I'll be sure to let you know if I do."

Satisfied with that answer, he departed and I was left to my own devices. I sent a quick text to Jalil to let him know where I was and then unzipped my jacket to free my baby bump. Thanks to Noor constantly kicking and punching me, I could easily see her hands and feet pressed up against my shirt as my skin rippled underneath. It looked like my distended midsection was moving all by itself.

"What's gotten into you today, sweet little Noor?" I cooed to my gestating child. "You are _never _this wiggly!"

All I got in response were stronger jabs and kicks that made me feel so winded that I was reaching for my inhaler. (I've been an asthmatic for most of my life) Quickly taking a puff, it wasn't too long before I felt relief in my chest and could breathe normally again. Out of habit, I checked the status of the cartridge and made a mental note to refill it before I left the station because it was running low.

The lounge door opened suddenly and Kate entered with Jordan and Krista in tow. Each woman pulled up a chair as I straightened up and formed a semicircle around me with Kate taking lead in the conversation.

"Juliana, what's going on? Why are you asking for us?"

"I think that I'm being followed by one of the Westies!"

"What?" Kate yelped as Jordan and Krista raised their eyebrows. "We haven't heard anything from them in months; not since you went undercover!"

_"What?" _The two FBI agents chimed in unison.

"Juliana used to run deep with the Westies once upon a time, but that's going to be explained later." Kate turned back to me. "Who do you think it is? You knew _everybody!" _

"It's probably Aiden Gallagher, Mannix Coonan or Fin Roark, and that's—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a minute, _wait _a _minute!" _Jordan cut in suddenly, holding her hands in the universal 'time out' position. "Juliana used to be part of the Westies, and she knows the current boss' right hand man, the last surviving Coonan family member _and _the current boss on a first name basis?"

"I'm right here, so don't talk about me like I'm not," (I shifted uncomfortably as baby Noor tried to do the splits) "And yes, I _do _know Aiden, Mannix and Fin personally, although I wish I didn't. I also had an affair with Dick Coonan back in the day…"

Kate did her best to get back into the conversation. "Juliana, which one do you think is following you? I've never seen you so scared."

"I don't know who, but Katie, if they've figured out that I was there undercover for the _police, _they'll come after my family and _kill _them. I can't lose my family again."

She nodded in understanding, so I turned to Jordan and Krista.

"You two are FBI—can you get someone to protect my family? Please?"

"Of course we can." Jordan nodded and then gave her partner a nudge. "Come on, you old bat! Why haven't you said anything?"

"Because of my adoptive father!" she answered scathingly but I noticed that she was massaging her six-month belly with the utmost gentleness to soothe her own gestating child. "He was assassinated when I was three so I don't remember him, but I _do _know that he was an FBI agent who was tangled very deep inside this mess! If the Westies come after the Singhs, they will _definitely _find my family and kidnap Savvy and me, but do worse to Gavin and Jake. I feel just as afraid as Juliana does, and a bit nauseous."

My mouth dropped open in surprise but just as I started to speak, there were shouts and screams and running from people out in the bullpen. Kate, Jordan, Krista and I peeked out of the window to see three burly masked men, each one of them carrying a pistol. Naturally, Kate was already on her feet and heading towards the commotion, but the rest of us had ducked out of view.

(I'm just a doctor, I'm just a doctor, I'm just a doctor…)

"What the hell are you two waiting for?" Jordan hissed as she drew her weapon, ready to protect Krista and me. "Go hide in the closet over there! Now!"

Looking around, we saw the closet that she was talking about and hurried over, slipped inside and shut the door softly. It was a supply closet, so we could fit, but barely because of our big bellies. Too scared to even whisper, I took a puff on my inhaler as quietly as possible, but I was very aware of the worked-up baby inside me and the trembling friend leaning against me.

All Krista and I could do was listen.

There was lots of yelling from the armed men and stern tones from Kate and her people, but no gunshots, obviously a good sign. Heavy footsteps told us that the armed men were entering the lounge and Krista instinctively grabbed my hand for comfort. I did my best to stay calm, but all of my courage just plummeted when the door was yanked open and I saw who it was.

"Fin…"

(Oh, my God! The _leader _of the Westies has found me!)

"That's right, Juliana—I've been watching you, the same way an eagle watches its prey," he growled angrily. "And _this _is for betraying my trust!"

Before I could stop him, he raised his gun and struck me on the side of the head with it, rendering me unconscious immediately.


	50. Taken, Part Two

"Juliana, wake up! _Please _wake up!"

Those were the first words I became aware of as I drifted back to consciousness and realized I was leaning against a wall.

"Come on, Juliana! Focus!"

I concentrated on the voice and I was very surprised to see that I was in the dank room of some kind of abandoned storage warehouse, but I was even more surprised to see who was helping me.

_"Castle? _What the hell…?"

"Good to see you, too," my friend joked before becoming serious. "But how are you feeling? What about your baby?"

My heart skipped a beat as I looked down at my baby bump. Yes, I'd just woken up from being knocked unconscious, but I hadn't felt Noor move yet.

"Come on, baby princess." I gave my belly a few methodical pokes as I tried not to cry. "Will you move for me and Uncle Rick? Will you wake up if you're sleeping? Just a little nudge and then I promise you can go back to sleep."

A split second later, my tears became tears of relief as Noor stretched out both of her little legs and pressed one of hands up against my own.

"She's okay," I told Castle as an icy breeze blew in through an open window. "Although I'm really cold."

"Here, take my jacket."

Before I could protest, he was taking off his big suit blazer and wrapping it around my shoulders. I thanked him and buttoned it up as much as my eight-month belly would permit.

"What's the last thing you remember before being abducted?"

"Talking with Kate, Jordan and Krista at the precinct about how I thought one of the more higher-up members of the Westies was following me. Obviously, I was right."

"Who abducted you?" he pressed.

"It was Fin Roark; he and I have a history…"

"Is that why he came after you?"

"That, and because he's recently realized that I betrayed his trust about something several months ago." (I shifted uncomfortably as Noor suddenly kicked me with extra enthusiasm) "Can we please not talk about it? Why did they take _you? _Aren't you supposed to be on a book tour?"

"It's done now and I just flew here from Chicago. Kate was going to pick me up at La Guardia, but her agenda suddenly filled up with lots of meetings at the last second, so she arranged for a town car to collect me."

"She didn't call your family driver?"

"Beau came down with the flu last week, so his employer sent someone else, but I guess that one of the Westies' cronies was able to slip in undetected so he could pretend to be my driver." He indicated the watch he was wearing. "That was about an hour ago."

"Do you know where we are?"

He shrugged in the gloom. "I'm not sure, but when I peeked out the window, I saw rushing water."

"So we're in a warehouse along the Hudson River. Great."

I shivered involuntarily and Castle moved closer, hugging me so that I'd stay warm. What a noble man.

"Okay, so they'd take you because you have history with the Westies, but I don't know why they'd take me because the time that Dick Coonan held me at gunpoint has long since canceled itself out since Kate killed him."

"Yeah, I guess it does, but you realize that they could go after Melissa, Krista, Jordan, Amaya, Calvin, Yoshi, Jessica Rose or Alexis, right?"

Castle took on a grave expression at the mention of his firstborn and was about to respond when a new person stumbled into the room after having been pushed in by a Westies crony. Castle was on his feet in a flash, running to catch this person before they fell and to give the crony a piece of his mind. That person was gone as quickly as he had come, though, and we were soon dealing with another issue entirely.

_"Melissa?" _

* * *

_Back at the precinct, Kate's Point of View_

* * *

Naturally, the precinct was in an uproar after being invaded, especially when an unconscious and heavily pregnant Juliana had been carried out by Fin Roark while two of his cronies guarded him, aiming their guns at us while they all boarded the elevator. Everybody in the bullpen from security officers to my detectives to the uniforms were on their phones with One Police Plaza and other such people.

While I knew I had to formulate some kind of plan to get Juliana back, but I felt absolutely sick to my stomach, thanks to the all-day morning sickness that has been coming with this pregnancy. I had no choice but to duck into my office and sit down at my desk for a few moments.

"Come on, angel." I whispered, giving my bump a little caress. "Be good for mama."

The baby wasn't big enough to kick yet, but I could feel it fluttering around inside me, bringing comfort and it was a few more moments before the illness abated. Just when I began to wonder where Jordan, Krista, Ryan and Esposito all were, I received three frantic phone calls in succession. It made me feel sick all over again.

The first call was from Jalil, who had received a text from Juliana, pretty much saying that she was in lots of trouble. My initial thought to that was, _'What the hell? Juliana's been abducted but she managed to keep her phone and send an SOS text? I know she's eight months pregnant and desperate, but does she have a death wish?' _

The second call was from Calvin, who was in tears. Melissa had been abducted in front of him at gunpoint in Central Park and into a waiting car. What the hell is happening?

The last call was from Martha, and it made me feel absolutely sick: she hadn't heard anything from Castle at all, and she was beginning to get worried. My mother-in-law even told me that she couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad had happened to him, especially since his phone kept going straight to voicemail. Most people would think of her as being overdramatic, but after all these years, I know her well enough that this qualifies as reason to worry… especially since none of our friends or family members have heard from him, either. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?

"Captain, what's our first move?"

Ryan, Esposito, Jordan and Krista were watching me, and it was Ryan who had asked.

"Jalil is on his way here because apparently, Juliana just sent him a text—"

_"What?" _

"At least we know she's conscious now, bro." Esposito consoled him.

"Back on topic, you two." I spoke sternly and they snapped back to attention right away. "Jalil is coming here with his phone and I want Ryan to take it so you can have a crack at tracing it. Esposito, if he brings his kids, I want you to keep them contained, _especially _Raja. We don't need a repeat of what happened when he was unsupervised in the break room that one time..."

"For the record, that wasn't _my _fault! It was—"

"Whatever! Go ahead and go!"

They left, and now it was just me, Jordan and Krista. Neither of them work here, but it was touching to see that they were so ready and willing to help without a second thought.

"Krista," I addressed her as I motioned for her and Jordan to sit. "Are you alright?"

"Considering that I'm six months pregnant and just watched my friend get abducted while she was unconscious, but _you _look like you're going to hurl…"

I waved her off. "I'm fine; are you?"

"I'm fine, and so is the baby, but seriously—what are we going to do?"

Jordan managed to get her thoughts in. "Any new developments?"

"Melissa and Rick have also been abducted. I'll head this operation from here or a surveillance van, but I can't go out into the field. This one will be put into Jordan's capable hands."

My sister-in-law was taken aback. "I'll do it, but is there another reason you can't go? Are you pregnant again?"

I gave another nod but Krista cut in. "Forgive me, but there will be time for this _after _we find them!"

Jordan assumed her poker face and showed me a little travel-sized carrying case. It was decorated with picture of the Canadian flag and when she opened it, I saw a mesh zipper pocket full of what looked like medical cartridges.

"Are those for Juliana's inhaler?"

"Yes, and I'm no doctor, but speed is _really _of the essence because I'd hate for her to run out of her medicine. The last thing we need is to find out that she's had a panic attack!"

No argument there.

* * *

_Unknown location, Juliana's Point of View_

* * *

The medication in my inhaler is running out.

No refills on hand, especially in a situation like this means that I'll be more than likely to have a panic attack. The last time I had a panic attack while pregnant, I was also grieving the loss of my family and got really sick. That led to a miscarriage of the babies that Jalil and I desperately wanted. That in turn drove me into such a depression that I started cutting myself.

I can't have any kind of drama like that right now, especially since Melissa is here, too. She's only two months behind me in her pregnancy, but what has me even more concerned is that she hasn't said a word because she's gone into shock. Melissa is eerily quiet, and if not for the way she's resting one hand on her belly and tracing the big scar on her face, one would think that she's gone catatonic.

(Another reason I know that she hasn't drifted completely into La La Land is because she's been leaning against me and has recently soiled her pants out of fear, like she was a small child. The poor dear is beginning to smell of urine…)

I. Must. Remain. Calm.

It's imperative, but hard to when I'm carrying a baby who seems to be feeding off my fear and responding by kicking the crap out of me just because she can. She's been at it for almost two hours now.

I. Must. Remain. Calm.

I must, but—

"OH!"

Startled, Melissa flinched and moved to the side as Castle hurried over and knelt down in front of me.

"Juliana, did you just…?"

My eyes began to fill with tears as I nodded. "I just had a contraction, but it can't be happening! Noor is coming early!"


	51. The Edge of Glory

Am I allowed to cry yet?

I'm eight months pregnant, an abductee of an Irish drug lord who is now out for my blood and to top it all off, I'm having labor contractions which means that my baby girl is coming two weeks ahead of schedule!

I know I have many sins to atone for, starting with my affair and being well known in Dungeon Alley, but I cleaned up my act! I have a happy marriage, great health, beautiful and healthy kids, a fabulous townhouse in Chelsea, a job I love, the best friends anyone could ask for…

I'm so scared.

I betrayed a dangerous drug lord's trust, and he found out.

What if he keeps me here until Noor is born?

What if I'm never able to see her or Neela?

What if I'm never able to see Sonali, Parvati and Raja?

What if I'm never able to see Jalil?

What if I get killed here?

I'm a bad person, so I brought this on myself.

(But I'm still scared)

Am I allowed to cry now?

* * *

"That's it, Juliana; squeeze my hand for as long as you need." Castle soothed. "It's okay."

My contraction lasted for a whole minute before I let go and leaned back against the wall.

"I just want to get out of here so I can get to the hospital to have Noor and hold her!" I sobbed. "Why is God punishing me like this? I've been so good!"

Castle looked torn up and so did Melissa, so I think that's why Castle suddenly got a determined look on his face as he got to his feet.

"I don't have the answer to that question because I don't have that divine knowledge, but I'm going to do everything I can to find a way out so Noor isn't born here or that something doesn't scare Melissa into early labor."

Upon sudden inspiration, he undid his Rolex watch and handed it to the young woman. She took it but said nothing.

"Melissa, if Juliana has another contraction, I want you to time it. Do you understand?"

Nod.

"Good. I also want you to keep track of how long I'm gone."

Again, she said nothing, but I spoke up as I wiped my tears away. "Excuse me? Did you just say that you're leaving?"

"I did."

"But Rick," (I used his first name to level with him) "There could be any number of people outside that door, and they _will_ be armed! I know these people because I ran with them eight years ago! I _know _what they're capable of!"

"Well, I'm not about to sit here, wondering when they'll come in here and hurt one of us! If I get out of here, they'll follow me and not even think about hurting you or Melissa!" he argued. "You two obviously can't go, so it's up to me to figure something out!"

"And what if you get shot? How am I going to explain to Kate that she's a widow? How am I going to tell Martha that she no longer has a son? How am I going tell your five darling babies the father they cherish and adore isn't coming home?"

"Six." He mumbled. "I have _six _babies because Kate just found out that she's pregnant again."

_"That _is another very good reason to not go and act the hero—it means you can stay alive to meet your little baby boy or girl when they're born within the next nine months!"

He looked even more determined now. "If anything happens to me, tell my family I'm sorry and that I loved them all so much. Watch over them, too. Kate looks up to you as a second mother."

And with that, he slipped away, melting into the darkness.

* * *

An hour has gone by and Castle still hasn't come back. We haven't heard any guns go off, though.

However…

My contractions are becoming a little more frequent, Melissa has yet to say a word, and my inhaler just ran out.

God help us all.

* * *

"Juliana?"

I jumped out of my skin when I realized that Melissa was talking for the first time since being brought here.

"Juliana, do you hear that? They're coming back, and they've got a new person…"

Together, we strained our ears and heard the other person's voice getting louder.

"Let me _go! _Can't you see I'm pregnant? Please don't hurt me! There are going to be serious consequences for kidnapping an NYPD captain in broad daylight, in front of my officers _and _FBI agents! NO, NO, _NO!" _

(Good God. They have Kate now)

Kate's captor responded by yelling at her and hitting her so hard that she cried out in considerable. I was immobilized because of my active labor, so I could only watch as Kate was carelessly shoved into the room the way that Melissa had been.

We went unnoticed for a few minutes because she was banging against the door, begging to be let out.

"Katie? Will you come here?"

She looked surprised but relieved when she saw me and hurried over, welcoming my hug when I gave it to her.

"How did you get here?" I asked her. "Did Kevin track my text? My phone died right after…"

"He traced it and it led us here, but I was taken from the parking garage in front of him, Javier, Jordan, Krista and the rest of my team at gunpoint!"

"Did you go willingly?" Melissa wanted to know.

"Of course! As a captain, I have to put myself before the others, even if I'm pregnant!"

Kate ran a hand over her baby bump and my heart went to pieces as her bottom lip trembled dangerously.

"Where is Rick?"

"He… left us to look for an escape route. We haven't heard from him in about an hour."

_"What? _Juliana, why didn't you stop him?"

"Believe me, I tried—"

"IF THEY FIND HIM, THEY HAVE ORDERS TO _SHOOT _HIM!"

This day has now officially gone from bad to worse.

* * *

_A little bit later _

* * *

These contractions are getting even closer together, but my water hasn't broken yet.

I'm thankful for that, but I'm getting worried because Melissa has gone back to not speaking because Kate accidentally said something upsetting and was reamed out as a result. Melissa claimed that it was for everyone's own good that she stopped talking because even at twenty-one years old and six months pregnant, she has a bad temper _and _a history of picking fights. She obviously wasn't afraid to act on her anger, even verbally, but it made me worry more that Kate looked genuinely scared of Melissa.

While they're both wearing their emotions of their sleeves, they're doing their best to look after me. Kate and Melissa just helped me through another contraction, but at this point, I'd give anything for a distraction.

It came in the form of Castle's return.

"Guys, come on!" he was trying to charm the cronies who had him. "So I went exploring! What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that the boss doesn't want people getting away from here and telling everybody where we are!"

"Because a big abandoned warehouse on a pier by the Hudson River is totally original and non-cliché!" Castle taunted him.

"You shut your trap!"

The crony hit him again while his partner stood idly by, almost amused. There had been so much force behind the blow that Castle tripped over his feet, falling to the ground and that's when we saw that he had already been beaten.

"The only reason that I haven't put a round through your head is because before we found you, we heard that the boss had a change of heart—he wants to do it himself because he wants the satisfaction of looking you, your wife and your two little friends all in the eyes before pulling the trigger, so wait here and don't move a muscle!"

Naturally, Castle was holding Kate as she sobbed hysterically in his arms the second the cronies were gone. They were in their own little world, and we let them stay there because it meant that at least someone among us was getting some sort of mollification from this hell.

It didn't last long because once again, the door opened and a new person entered. He was an older, sharply dressed man who wore a look of absolute smugness on his face as he kept a hand on top of the glock twenty-seven resting in the holster secured on his hip.

This man looked familiar for some reason and it was through a quick process of elimination that I realized who it was.

My stomach sank when he stepped into the light and we could see him better, but I'm sure it was nothing to the horror that Castle had to suddenly be feeling.

"Dad?"


	52. Enter The Dragon

**Note to Stanatic 13—this is yours and I have to thank you for the idea. I hope you remember because you mentioned it a looong time ago! **

* * *

Standing before us was none other than local Senator Cash Warner, and an absolute silence fell over the room. This guy is known and respected by much of New York City, so just about everybody knows who he is. Cash Warner, local senator and philanthropist, is the 'Dragon' character that I only ever heard stories about when I was hanging out at the Wolfhound Pub.

Warner is very elusive, so I never saw him, but now I understand why everybody among my friends who have seen him have refused to identify him—he is one of the most powerful people in the city after the mayor, so even if somebody _did _report him, the authorities wouldn't believe it because they wouldn't want to be in the middle of a public scandal.

On paper and in the eyes of the public, Senator Warner is a good person, but behind the scenes, he's a bad guy.

* * *

The silence was broken by me when I let out an anguished cry as another contraction rippled through my body. I was short of breath and gasping because of the intensity of the pain as I pleaded with Warner.

"Let me talk to Fin so I can get this all straightened out! We don't have to do this!"

"No! After finding out that you betrayed his trust, he doesn't want to talk to you at all and even if he could, he's being punished right now!"

"For what?"

"Not being able to locate Alexis Kerrigan and bring her here, but not to worry—we still have you and Melissa."

At the mention of her name coming from the senator's mouth, Melissa was pressed up against Kate and cowering in fear.

"What in the world did Melissa do to deserve this? She's innocent, and so are Kate and Rick! Why go to all this trouble if _I'm _the one who has many sins to atone for?"

"All three of them are _far _from innocent for so many reasons, but the one you really have to get a load of is Melissa!"

"What in the world could she have done wrong?"

"Not only did Melissa stay in the Wolfhound Pub and earn her way in without even working for it, but she also lied to us entirely about her identity! She knows enough to bring the entire organization down, and for that, she has to be punished right here, right now as an example of what happens when you cross me!"

By this point, he'd reached the others and was now calculating how best to cause maximum damage to one of them with something other than his gun. Just as he was about to bring it down on Melissa, Castle sprang up and blocked him.

"Do not touch Melissa! Do not touch her or Kate or Juliana or Alexis, or anybody else I love! Do you understand?"

Warner nodded and lowered his weapon, a slick smile on his face as his tone turned oily.

"Very good, son. I was waiting to see how long it would take for you to stand up to me, but it's a shame that you waited until I was just about to hurt one of your pregnant friends. Waiting that long makes you less of a man."

Having had enough, Castle pinned his father against the nearest wall with his forearm and elbow. Neither of them paid the rest of us any attention, so Kate and Melissa quickly made their way over to me so they could support me and hold my hands to give me some kind of comfort.

"Where have you been my entire life? Why did you never come back to mother and me?" Castle demanded of the older man who looked how he would probably look twenty-five or thirty years down the road. "I learned not to miss you, but that's never stopped me from wondering!"

"What happened between your mother and I was just a one-time thing; she was only ever a pretty face. That isn't to say that I haven't been keeping tabs on her stage performances because I have…"

Castle looked revolted. "I asked where you were during_ my _life, not mother's theater career!"

"I didn't even know you existed until _Storm Fall _was published, and it said on the back cover that you reside in Manhattan with your daughter and mother, the latter of whom is famed theater actress Martha Rodgers, who, by the way, kept you from me because—"

"SHUT UP! NOW I'M _GLAD _MOTHER NEVER KNEW YOUR NAME OR TRIED TO LOOK FOR YOU BECAUSE SHE WOULD HAVE STILL BAILED ON YOU ANYWAY!"

Ignoring my attempts to keep her still, Kate got to her feet and marched over to Warner, clearly unafraid of him.

"Why did you have Dick Coonan kill my mother? What did she ever do to you?"

"Johanna got even closer than Melissa did and needed to be stopped. I had Aidan Gallagher strike by getting her drunk, drugging her and violating her. You'd think that would've set your mother straight for good, especially when she got pregnant and took a sabbatical to hide the pregnancy and the twins' birth, but she came back even stronger than before, and with more determination!"

It was Kate's turn to look revolted, but she still stood her ground as her voice began rising. "So you knocked off her colleagues one-by-one as what? Warnings?"

"None of which Johanna heeded, so it's her fault that they died and aren't with their families today!"

"What about the car accident? Another warning?"

Warner nodded. "And when that didn't work, when she _survived, _I had Coonan follow her to the alley behind the Sons of Palermo bar to finally finish her off—"

"You mean _stab _her to death and leave her _alone _to bleed out in the _garbage _area? She was a good wife and a devoted mother! She didn't deserve that! None of the people you killed or ordered hits against deserved any of those grisly fates!"

"WRONG! THEY _ALL _DESERVED IT, _ESPECIALLY _YOUR MOTHER AND ELIJAH AND LUCY QUELLER!"

_"WHY?"_

"BECAUSE THEY EACH GOT CLOSER TO BRINING ME DOWN, AND THAT'S THE LAST THING I NEED!"

During their conversation, I was breathing through all of my contractions and keeping quiet as the pain upgraded itself to ravaging. Melissa was doing her best to help me out, but she became distracted the second her parents had been mentioned and was now watching Kate's, Rick's and Warner's conversation closely, which in turn led me to look around for a focal point to focus my energy onto as I breathed my way through the most painful contraction yet.

That's how I noticed that we had a visitor lurking off to the side in the shadows, obviously not wanting to be seen, and my heart almost failed from surprise and confusion alone.

It was Molly Dearling, the barkeeper from the Wolfhound Pub, and she was dressed in all black to blend in with the dark lightning, but she was… wielding a glock with trained expertise?

What the hell is happening? I haven't seen Molly since I was pregnant with Raja!

(She's obviously way more than a simple barkeeper, that's for sure…)

Molly caught me looking and pressed a finger to her lips, indicating for me to be completely quiet as she crept even closer with her weapon. I obeyed and instinctively pulled Melissa close, hoping to somehow protect her if there was a firefight. Continuing to breathe through my pain and getting horrified that the contractions were getting closer, I began praying for the first time in years that we would all be protected.

I wouldn't say that my prayers were answered right away, but they were definitely interrupted by someone booming into a megaphone. From outside.

"THIS IS THE POLICE; WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED! PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN AND COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP, OTHERWISE WE WILL HAVE TO USE FORCE!"

Did Warner obey? Of course not.

Instead, he grabbed Kate and pulled close, an arm around her neck to keep her secure while using his free hand to keep his gun trained on Kate's temple. Rick, Melissa and I all froze, but poor Kate looked truly terrified now. Her normally steely resolve crumbled and she closed her eyes and started crying as Warner started pulled the safety off his gun as he yelled at us.

"WHICH ONE OF YOU IDIOTS LET THE POLICE TRACK YOU HERE? TELL ME NOW, OR I _WILL _BLOW KATE'S BRAINS OUT!"

That's when Molly finally stepped out of the shadows with her gun pointed directly at her target.

"OI! WARNER!"

Completely surprised, Senator Warner spun around to face her and all but threw Kate to the floor. Kate had the presence of mind to curl up in a ball as best she could—she looked like she was also in excruciating pain—and not a second to soon because Molly fired her gun a split second later.

BANG!


	53. A New Day

Molly fired her gun with such precision and accuracy that the bullet hit Senator Warner square in the middle of the forehead. He was dead before he hit the ground.

I didn't have time to fully process the sight in front of me because the next thing I knew, I was feeling a gush of cold liquid coming from between my legs, meaning that my water had _finally _broken and I could start pushing!

* * *

"Is everybody okay to walk? All we need to do is get out of this building because there are two ambulances waiting in the front!"

It took Melissa some extra effort because of her big belly, but she got to her feet pretty quickly. Castle stood next, but it was Kate who stood for all of a second before collapsing and crying out that something felt sprained or broken. When Molly saw that I hadn't moved yet, she hurried over and knelt down in front of me.

"What is it? Did your water break?"

"Yes! Molly, I've been in labor for most of the time we've been here, but it's finally show time!"

"Okay, I'll go—"

"No!" I cut her off. "There's no time for that because she's coming, and I need to push! Have you delivered a baby before, yes or no?"

"Yes."

Moving quickly, she was able to help me get a little more comfortable and check on my dilation, which I estimated to be at the full ten centimeters of dilation and thankfully, I was right. Vaguely aware of my surroundings or that Melissa had propped herself up behind me for support, all I could do was focus on brining my daughter into the world.

"Okay, Juliana, that was great!" Molly praised after a particularly long push. "Rest for a minute while I clear the baby's airway!"

I fell back against Melissa, thankful that she was there. "Her name is Noor, and—oh, my God! Tell me I can push again!"

The pain I was experiencing was now so unbearable that everything felt like it was on fast forward.

"Noor is coming really fast, so on the count of three, I need an extra big push! One, two, _three!" _

I bore down as I could, yelling out as I felt my little girl's arms and torso pass through the birth canal.

"You're doing so good! One more big push, and she'll be here!"

"Really?" I panted. _"None _of my babies have ever been this impatient!"

"One more big push now; give it all you have! One, two, _three!" _

With every last ounce of strength I had left, I bore down one last time to push my daughter of my body. I fell back into Melissa's arms but barely heard Molly's joyful announcement amidst the baby's loud cries—"She's here, she's here! Noor is here!"—before feeling incredibly lightheaded as my chest suddenly began to constrict.

"No!" I started crying. "Please not now!"

I was in the beginning stages of a panic attack because my body had gone into hyperdrive during the last leg of the birthing process, and I didn't even have a full inhaler to use.

That was the last thing I remembered for awhile because I blacked out soon thereafter.

* * *

When I came to, the first thing I registered was that I was completely safe in a hospital room and I quickly became aware of the oxygen tube connected to my nose as well as a needle in my wrist that was for an IV line.

The memory of giving birth came rushing back to me, but before I could say anything, Jalil was already at my side, carrying a wiggling pink bundle in his arms.

"How are you feeling, janu?"

"Like I've been run over by a truck. I want to know how I got here, but I really just want to hold Noor!"

"Of course. How do you want to hold her?"

"Skin-to-skin."

With some maneuvering, we lowered my hospital gown and Jalil eased Noor out of her blanket and onesie. Noor fussed in protest at the cold, but the second her body connected with my chest, she calmed right down and snuggled closer to me.

"Do you feel better, Baby Princess?" I kissed her as I took her dark skin tone, her long legs and her spindly fingers and toes. "I love you so much, and you're perfect in every way! Plus look at all of that hair; all of your siblings who came before you hardly had _any_ when they were born!"

(She had a copious amount of curly black hair obscured by a small knit cap)

"Raja also called her 'Baby Princess' when he held her." My husband commented as he pulled the blankets over Noor and me. "It was too precious for words, Jules, because he just couldn't get enough of her, and we could all tell that she likes him already, too."

"What about Sonali and Parvati?"

"Noor got on well with them, but she's already playing favorites with Raja and it makes me wonder what it's going to be like when we have Neela, too…"

We laughed at the ideas we had, but it startled Noor and I immediately apologized and spoke to her in soothing tones until she began dozing. After that, I finally had enough courage to talk to Jalil about what was on my mind.

"What really happened? The last thing I remember is feeling lightheaded."

"That's because the paramedics told me that you had a panic attack and a small hemorrhage right after the delivery." He explained seriously. "They also told me that you were in and out of consciousness after they got you stabilized, but you were definitely out cold after the emergency blood transfusion."

"Excuse me? I had an emergency blood transfusion?"

"Just a little one, but yes."

"Then who was the donor? I have AB-Negative, and that can be just as tricky to manage. It would take a miracle to find a compatible donor!"

"Then it's a total miracle that your local neighborhood barkeep _is _that compatible person."

"You mean Molly Dearling?"

"I do. Are you up for a visitor?"

"Only if it's her. I wouldn't be too much fun for anybody else."

"Of course." Jalil got to his feet and kissed Noor and me. "Molly's nearby, so I won't be long."

She turned out to be recovering from her transfusion right across the hallway and as per hospital protocol, she was dressed in hospital gown and sitting in a wheelchair, which was toting the IV line she was hooked up to. Jalil departed down to the cafeteria for some food, and when he was gone, Molly gave me a sheepish look.

"I guess I have some explaining to do."

"Understatement of the year, old friend." (Even though we haven't seen much of each other in the past eight years, we stuck together at the pub) "For starters, where does a barkeeper get a gun like yours, andwhere do they learn how to use it to kill?"

"I'm not a barkeeper, Juliana."

"No?"

"No. I'm actually an FBI agent with the violent crimes division, and I've been undercover for the past eight years. My objective was to infiltrate the Westies to eventually eliminate Warner."

"It took this long?"

"Unfortunately so, but at least I won't be charged with murder because I completed my task."

She smoothed out the wrinkles in her gown, searching for something else to say.

"It hasn't been easy on my relationship with my girlfriend, Solédad and her daughter, Valerie, but the second my case handler comes to officially relieve me, I'm going to call my girls over here so I can hold them and kiss them."

"Sounds lovely."

"It does…" Molly smiled vaguely. "And I think I'm going to propose to Solédad because we've been friends for twelve years, together for ten, but apart for eight and for some reason that just boggles my mind, she's gone along with all of this and hasn't left me."

"That's because she loves you as much as you love her!"

Right at that moment, Noor shifted in her sleep and sighed contently. It made my heart melt.

"Molly is a silly lady, isn't she, Baby Princess?" I cooed to her. "She can't see that her beloved Solédad hasn't left her because she's been waiting for her! That's what you really do when you love someone!"

In response, Noor snuggled closer and sank into a deeper sleep.

When I looked up, I saw that Molly was watching wistfully and I suddenly saw past her youthful appearance made up of her fair skin, vibrant green eyes, fiery red hair and quarter-length tattoo sleeve peeking out from under her left gown sleeve.

I saw someone full of longing.

"Solédad's tale is long and complicated, but part of it is that she's completely barren after beating ovarian cancer twice and despite having a teenage daughter, we both want a son to carry on the family name."

"Let me guess—at some point after you propose, you're going to suggest artificial insemination and that _you _carry the child?"

"Yeah, and I'm excited because I know she'd agree!"

I smiled at her enthusiasm and decided to do something nice for her. "I'ma midwife at this hospital, so you're talking to the right person, especially since I've overseen many pregnancies that started out with artificial insemination. Talk to Solédad about it and then schedule an appointment with me when I come back from maternity leave."

Molly smiled gratefully. "Thank you, so much!"

"You're quite welcome, but I must ask—how old _are _you?"

"Thirty-eight, almost thirty-nine, but half the reason I was picked to go undercover is because I age gracefully and when I started the assignment, I practically looked like a teenager even though I was thirty."

A new thought suddenly struck me. "Okay, so you've obviously been lying about your age for almost a decade, but what's your actual name?"

"Drusilla Brontë Hardy, but I prefer 'Dru' because it's far less clunky."

"Either way, I think you name beautiful, Dru."

The FBI agent started to respond but was cut off when a nurse dropped by to inform her that she needed to leave because she had a visitor from the bureau waiting for her.

I didn't miss the look of relief on Dru's face at all.

* * *

Jalil returned shortly after Dru left and told me that our other children were being taken care of by his parents and that all of my visitors would come tomorrow. Amaya stopped by to check on mine and Noor's progress, but other than that, we were pretty much left alone and I was thankful for it. Noor had woken up for Amaya's visit and now she was getting sleepy again, but she refused to be soothed by Jalil when he tried to rock her to sleep, so she went back to me.

"Juliana, what are we going to do? We have a very picky baby on our hands!"

"Maybe all she needs is a little lullaby." I looked down at my daughter. "How does that sound, sweet Noor?"

She just yawned and blinked her dark eyes at me.

I sang the first thing that came to mind—Frère Jacques—and Noor didn't fall asleep straight away, but she was definitely getting drowsy.

"Unbelievable; Noor is definitely our pickiest and most stubborn child yet." Jalil shook his head. "Watch her be the one who looks just like me but inherits _your _stubborn ways, through and through."

"That would be something," I chuckled. "But then logic stands to reason that Neela will be my clone but develop your love of Shakespeare. Imagine her quoting 'Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings' at you by age six and then realizing that Star Trek is chalk full of Classic Shakespeare by the time she's eight."

"Angels and ministers of grace defend us!"

"The last thing we need are your parents turning anymore of our children into hardcore Trekkers."

"That from the woman who was going to name her dogs Mulder and Scully after two of her all-time favorite TV characters?"

"At least I didn't buy the world's least friendly _iguana _and name _him _Bones after a _female _TV character!"

"It's not my fault that I didn't know until later that my iguana is male…"

I was about to retort when we were interrupted by happy gurgling and cooing noises from Noor, telling us in her own way that she was very amused. True, she was barely awake by this point, but she was doing something with her face.

"Is she…?"

"She _is!" _I kissed Noor on the nose and looked up at my husband. "Jalil, the baby is learning how to smile!"


	54. Siblings

_Saint Brigid's Hospital, Maternity Ward_

_One hour later_

* * *

After everything that happened today, especially watching Juliana give birth, I started experiencing horrible cramping and according to the paramedics, I was having a placental abruption. I was immediately rushed to the hospital.

The paramedics were able to stop the pain, but I was immediately confined to two weeks of strict hospital bed rest. Thankfully, I was reunited with Calvin, so he was there when an ultrasound was performed and we saw that our daughter was no longer in distress and that she and I were both on the right path to recovery.

As Calvin and I reveled in the feeling of relief, I still felt some kind of anxious feeling. My fiancé picked up on it straight away.

* * *

"What's going on, Melissa? Do you need something?"

I gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Calvin, I promise we'll talk about it later, but you won't take it the wrong way if I tell you I need to talk to Kingston, Madison and Emily first?"

"Of course not." He pulled his phone out of his pocket to check it as it beeped. "In fact, Maddie just asked if you want anything from that Italian joint nearby."

"That'd be great. She knows what I like."

He sent a reply but got a new text two seconds later. "This one is from Kingston. He wants to know what your favorite color is."

"Excuse me?"

Calvin shrugged. "I'll tell him that your favorite color is purple, yeah?"

"Yeah…"

He sent a reply and then watched as I prodded my belly, playing with the baby. Noticing his curiosity, I placed his palm over the part of my belly where I was feeling the most movement.

"Do we have a little soccer player in there?"

"Soccer?" I scoffed. "That's too common. Kitty's gonna be in karate, like her mumma, so she knows how to protect herself."

"That reminds me… Melissa, I'm proud of you."

"For what?"

"You survived hell, and now it's finally over."

"I'm so glad, especially knowing that they'll never touch me again."

"You're damn right, and if anyone ever lays a hand on you or Kitty again, they'll have to come through me first."

He stood up and stretched. "I'm going to go take a walk. Is there anything you want before Madison comes?"

"Check on Juliana if you can."

"Anything else?"

"Check on the Castles."

"Okay. Anything I should tell my parents and sisters?"

"Give the twins lots of hugs and tell them that I'll be happy to see some visitors tomorrow after the baby and I have had some rest. As for your parents, tell them that the dragon has been slain."

"I beg your pardon, mi amor?"

"They'll know, trust me."

He accepted it and then dug his iPad out of his messenger bag, handing it to me.

"Use this to entertain yourself since yours is at home."

"Thanks, Cal. I'll see you later."

He placed a kiss on my lips and a few on my belly, promising us that he'd be back later.

* * *

Since Madison had asked me what I wanted to eat, that implied she was bringing me food, so I wasn't surprised when she arrived at my room with a bag of takeout. The surprising thing was that she had Emily and Kingston in tow, and those two happened to have their arms full of potted purple orchids, my favorite flower of all time.

"What's all this?"

"I told Kingston about where I was going," Madison explained as she laid out the food for me on the swiveling platform attached to my bed. "And he tagged along, but it was his idea to get the orchids."

I glanced at Kingston to see him carefully arranging the plants on a table near my bed. Emily sat nearby, watching him.

"So how'd you get here?" I asked.

"My shift ended when I heard through the grapevine that you all were en route to the ER."

"Where are Thomas and Dash?"

"I have no doubt that my hubby has been paged down to the ER to lend a hand in case any surgery is needed, but Dash has come down with a cold, so Nicolas' mum is watching him today."

Madison interrupted by finally pushed the swiveling platform into my sight.

"Eat up! No more questions until you've had a little bit of everything!"

"You were gone for quite sometime." Added Kingston.

"From what I gather," Emily tacked on, not wanting to be pushed out of the conversation altogether. "It was close to four-and-a-half hours."

My stomach rumbled and right on cue, and I began receiving lots of annoyed kicks from Kitty, letting me know that she wanted some food, so I dug into my meal with gusto.

* * *

After eating enough spaghetti and meatballs to satisfy my siblings, I finally felt relaxed enough to tell them what I'd heard and learned.

"I found out why mum and dad were murdered."

My words grabbed their attention immediately, so I continued.

"Apparently, they both got too close to figuring out who's been controlling the Westies in the Manhattan drug wars."

"Who is it?" Emily asked.

"Senator Cash Warner."

My sister said nothing, and neither did Kingston, but Madison blanched. "My restaurant has catered for all of his re-election parties. He seems like a nice guy…"

"He was actually pretty ruthless and put the hits out on our parents and Johanna Beckett because they were the ones he was keeping an extra eye on."

Kingston finally got his thoughts in. "Did Warner say why he did those things?"

"No, but I'm sure he would've if he hadn't been interrupted."

"Who interrupted him?"

"The barkeep from his pub in Hell's Kitchen that I discovered back in April, although now that I think about it, Molly turned on him because she was probably an undercover FBI agent. How else would she learn to shoot with such perfect aim?"

My siblings gaped at me in surprise, meaning I had no choice but to explain everything that had happened, not only today but also in April, when I was on the road with Jessica Rose and Gabriella. I also found myself explaining about how Juliana was involved with the Westies, inadvertently making herself a very big target.

When I got to the part about why and how I'd also made myself a target, I was met with stern looks. That made me start crying more, so Kingston immediately sat with me on the bed and held me.

"Just breathe, Missy. All you have to do is breathe."

I took a few steadying breaths. "The last time I was this afraid was the night of the attack in the park. I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that we'd make it because of the connections to we have to the NYPD and the FBI, but in the heat of the moment, my number one concern was making sure that my baby and I weren't killed!"

My siblings chose to say nothing, so I plowed on, tracing the long disfiguring scar on my face.

"I really thought I was going to get violated or cut up again. He obviously didn't touch me like that, but I still got so scared and stressed that I had a placental abruption! I'm so glad that this whole thing is finally over because we can all move on, but I feel like I've aged twenty years, and I've never missed mum and dad more than I do right now!"

I finally broke down into full-blown sobs, but Kingston continued to cradle me close and stroke my hair while my sisters managed to both sit next to me so I could hear them offer words of comfort.

We sat like that until I was calm, but I had to admit that having my sisters and brother with me was very soothing. Emily broke the silence first.

"Melissa, I'm so proud of you, and so are Kingston and Maddie."

The aforementioned people nodded in agreement as I sat up and looked at them.

"What did I do to make any of you proud of me?"

"You've survived hell twice now, is what. We've all had our share of life-threatening danger, but they'll never measure up to the things you've gone through."

"It's true." Madison agreed.

"More to the point," Kingston stepped in before we wandered off on a rabbit trail. "You showed all kinds of courage, and that's what kept you and your baby girl alive. It's more courage than I could ever hope to have."

"Or me." The other two chimed in.

"You also found out why our parents were killed, and the rest of us probably would have never been able to find that out on our own because we wouldn't have been brave enough to infiltrate the Westies gang the way you did."

My brother patted my hand as Emily and Madison looked on.

"It also means that my kids, your kid, Emmy's and Maddie's kids, and any other kid that comes along will have an answer when they ask why their grandparents aren't here. It'll be good to tell them one day that mum and dad died fighting for justice for our fair city. This also means that the Queller family will finally be able to start healing, and you've got to feel proud because you helped bring that change, baby sister."

I actually smiled at that. "I do."


	55. Finally Over

_Saint Brigid's Hospital, Maternity Ward_

_Room 2430, Kate's Point of View_

* * *

I woke with a start because I didn't remember falling asleep, but I became even more startled when the next sensation I immediately registered was intense pain in my right leg.

Unable to stop myself, I started crying and yelling.

* * *

"THIS HURTS! MAKE IT STOP!"

I felt familiar hands taking hold of mine, although they weren't Castle's.

"Squeeze our hands, Katie."

Not even thinking twice, I did as I was told and only relaxed when the pain had subsided because a drug of some kind had been emptied into my system. When I focused, I saw that I was in a hospital bed, hooked up to a breathing tube and IV while dressed in a disposable paper gown. Looking to my left, I saw dad sitting back down in his chair and moving it closer. On my right, the very pregnant Amaya was moving away from my IV and checking my charts.

"What the hell happened?" I wanted to know as I took a sip of water from the cup on my bedside table. "The last thing I remember is crying in Castle's arms!"

"And according to whom," noted my stepmother. "Senator Warner held you at gunpoint and _threw_ you…?"

"That's what happened, but I curled up at the last minute to…"

My words tapered off as I thought about what I was going to say and absently glided a hand over my belly.

"You did it to protect your baby." Dad finished as he smoothed my hair out of my face. "Your motherly instincts are kicking in already."

I groaned as a few thoughts hit me at once. "Is the baby okay? What happened to my leg? Where are the rest of my kids, and _where_ is Castle?"

"Your baby is actually very healthy in spite of all the trauma your body took, although I'll be happy to do another ultrasound since you were sedated during the first one." Amaya cheerfully supplied. As for the kids, they're all in the waiting room, being watched over by Martha and Serenity. Ashley is also there, and Alexis won't let him out of her sight because she needs a hand to hold, and she's worried about you."

"Well, if you were in my place, I'd feel the exact same way." (Amaya smiled, touched by words, but I kept on talking) "Seriously, though: what happened to my leg?"

Dad pulled back my blankets. "You broke your ankle pretty badly when you fell."

"How bad?"

"I could only tell you if I was a doctor."

Far from satisfied, I turned to Amaya and she was already prepared with an answer. "Bones are not my forté, Katie-girl, but do you remember Doctor Iris Ravensdale?"

"Toby's physical therapist from when he broke his leg?" My eyes widened in horror as I peeked at my swollen ankle. "Do I need surgery?"

"Iris will be the judge of that when she gets here, but I'll wager that in addition to a cast, you'll need physical therapy and forearm crutches."

I sighed heavily, but only because I didn't know what to say to that.

Thankfully, Castle arrived with Doctor Ravnsdale at that particular moment and my heart leapt as I saw my husband and hugged him but refrained from being as intimate as I wanted because we weren't alone.

"Kate, do you remember me from earlier?" Doctor Ravensdale asked as she made her way forward. "I was your grandson's physical therapist."

"I remember you. What's the diagnosis, doc?"

"Not so bad that the full diagnosis can't wait if you want to do another ultrasound first."

A few minutes later, we were all sighing in relief when we saw through an ultrasound scan that the baby was still there and hanging on as hard as possible. All I needed was a night of good sleep and we'd both be as right as rain.

When that was done, Iris made it clear that for her part of her visit that she wanted to talk to me in private, so my parents made to leave, but I stopped them and dad spoke first.

"What's up, Katie?"

"Daddy, I caught the guy who was responsible for ordering the hit on mom."

He smiled and kissed me on the forehead. "And it's finally over; we can breathe easier because she's finally resting in peace. Thanks, baby girl."

I smiled and looked over at Amaya.

"This means that we also caught the person indadvertedly responsible for causing Tatsuya's death."

"He's also resting in peace because you brought closure to that, too." She kissed me on the forehead, too. "Thank you so much, baby girl."

Once my parents gave me reassuring pats on the shoulder, they left the room hand-in-hand.

When they were gone, Doctor Ravensdale gave me a full diagnosis: my left ankle was broken.

Unfortunately, it was swollen to the point where it wasn't possible to tell the exact nature of my injuries at the moment, so I'd have to stay overnight to wait for the swelling to go down and just like Amaya had predicted, the good doctor briefly mentioned outfitting me with a cast and forearm crutches before discussing the need for physical therapy to regain mobility in that part of my foot. She also mentioned that I'd probably need a wheelchair, but we'd discuss all of it in the morning and left us to our own devices.

* * *

"Rick, I'm sorry about your dad."

He waved it off. "Don't be, Kate; I'm not."

"Why's that?"

"I can't miss what I never had and he was a bad guy, anyway. I'd rather forget him and after telling mother about him, I know she feels the same."

"Okay, I can respect that."

"Thanks."

I smiled to put him at ease. "Where _is_ Martha?"

"She and Serenity took LJ, Jamie, Jed, Joey, Abby and Toby back to the loft."

"What about Alexis and Ashley?"

"Still waiting waiting for us, last I knew."

"Then why haven't let them come?"

Castle held his hands up in self-defense. "Minus a few bruises, I checked out fine, but you've been in and out of it since about seven-thirty, and it's nearly nine right now. I'm going to text Alexis."

Not even questioning how he got his phone back, I watched him text her and then touch a palm to my belly in a slightly possessive manner. A dopey grin was on his face.

"How's the littlest Castle doing?"

"She's good, and I can feel her squirming around in there."

"You know, I just realized something: since you're three months along now, that means we made her on your birthday."

I laughed and rested a hand on top of his. "Do you want to tell the kids about the baby yet?"

"Let's tell Alexis first, but wait until we get back from Storm Fall to tell the others."

"That sounds good to me."

Unfortunately, we didn't get much further than that because Alexis had appeared in the doorway and a split second later, she was perched next to me and we were hugging her.

"I'm so glad you two are okay. I've already lost one set of parents, and I wouldn't be able to bear it if I lost another, especially if one of you had been shot."

She stilled for a few moments, cherishing that Castle and I were safe and whole, and when she pulled away, she gave me a sad but happy smile.

"Warner also killed _my_ mother, but now I feel like justice has been served for her, even though we weren't on good terms the last time we saw each other. Who killed the senator?"

"An undercover FBI agent who goes by Molly, although I'm sure that's an alias."

Alexis raised her eyebrows. "Then I'm going to have to find her and hug her because she helped bring closure."

"Be glad it didn't take seventeen years."

"Trust me, I am."

At this point, Castle took Alexis on his lap just to hold her like she was a little girl again and she didn't seem to mind because she rested her head against his shoulder. I reached over and held my daughter's hand.

"Sunshine, I don't blame you for being afraid, and for the first time in two years, I understand why you and everyone who saw Warner's true colors have refused to say anything, and I also understand why you were scared that one of us might not make it out alive, but it's all over now."

Alexis nodded, looking relieved. "Yeah… it's finally over!"

We all sat quietly again for a moment, and just when I was about to ask where Ashley was, he came hurrying in and looking apologetic.

"I'm so sorry I'm late! Martha called me so I could talk to Toby and Abby because they were refusing to go to bed. I talked to them until they fell asleep…"

"It's okay, Ashley." I reassured him. "It's all part of being a parent."

"How is everyone holding up?"

"I've been better," Castle answered as he helped Alexis to her feet. "And so has Kate, but I think that her broken ankle counts against her."

The young man gave a sympathetic wince. "Is there anything we can do?"

"Yes, but first we need to tell you two something that we'd like to be kept private for now."

The younger couple watched us intently but waited for him to continue. Castle did and was unable to contain his joy.

"We have another baby on the way!"

Alexis was immediately squealing in delight and hugging first Castle, then me.

"Mom, I'm so happy!"

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Thanks, Lex."

"How far along are you?"

"Nearly four months." I glanced over at Ashely. "What do you think?"

He grinned. "I'm happy, too, Kate; congrats. What was that other thing you and Rick needed?"

"Providing that I'm cleared for travel tomorrow, we want to go up to Storm Fall because we have some things to talk about…"

"Do you need babysitters?" He wanted to know.

"Ash and I can do it!" Alexis chirped.

"Sweetheart, you're almost eight months pregnant," Castle pointed out. "And your siblings are all six and under."

"'m well aware of all of that, but I'm going crazy at home because I'm all caught up with my column for The Ledger, and I just want to be useful!"

She looked desperate and Ashely was behind her, silently pleading with us to say yes because if we said no, he'd be the one who'd have to deal with one of Alexis' hormonally induced meltdowns and surprisingly, I caved first.

"We'll call you tomorrow if I get cleared."

Alexis lit up in a heartbeat. "We should get back to the loft to be with the kids now, but I have one last thing to say."

"Do you, now?"

"I call dibs on picking the baby's name!"

We were taken aback by her statement but not put off because she has an excellent taste when it comes to naming a child, so Castle was reading my mind on the next part.

"You can name him or her, but why do you want to?"

"So we can discontinue the 'J' trend. I mean come on, we didn't name Lily Joy, but we still have Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna!"

I actually found myself giggling a little. "Okay, you have a point and you're bound to think of something clever that doesn't start with the letter j."

Alexis looked pleased with herself as they left and for a few moments, a content silence fell over the room. Eventually, Castle got up and stretched.

"I don't know about you, love, but I'm hungry. Would you like something from the cafeteria?"

"A burger with fries and a strawberry milkshake."

"That's your order from Remy's! You couldn't stand burgers when you were pregnant with Jameson, and you could barely look at that order, let alone a milkshake when you were pregnant with Jeremiah and Johanna!"

"So?" I shrugged. "Hospital food is obviously not as good as Remy's, but it'll have to do for now and besides, the baby wants it more than I do."

Castle hung his head. "Woman, you're starting to run me ragged already!"

"Good to know." I purred in a thick Russian accent. "Now go find some food and don't forget to get some for yourself!"

He just shook his head and kissed me on the forehead while giving my bump a little pat, but even as he left, he was cracking jokes just like he always does, and it put me at ease.

Even though I started this pregnancy feeling all kinds of stress and worry that I never want to experience again and we just survived hell today, I felt like we were already moving on because I'd solved my mom's case after seventeen years.

It's finally over!


	56. Physical Therapy and Other Concerns

_Next day, October 23_

* * *

It was a stroke of good luck that nothing happened overnight and we were glad of it because as far as the baby's health was concerned, it's going to smooth sailing ahead. However, we're still waiting for Iris to clear me for leaving the hospital, and hopefully travel, too, because we want to get out to Storm Fall today and it's a long ride out to the Hamptons.

We have two major obstacles in the immediate present, the first of which is how are we going to tell the kids that we're going to Storm Fall without them because we have some important things to discuss?

The second obstacle is physical therapy… my injury is encased encased in a plaster cast now, and will be for at least the next eight or nine weeks. Now there's talk of me having forearm crutches to get around on, so I won't be immobile, but in order to learn how to use those, I have to do the physical therapy first and I'm scared! What if I trip and hurt the baby? I'm going to be heavily pregnant by the time everything comes off, and even at that, I'm probably going to have more intensive therapy afterward.

I don't know what to think at all.

* * *

"What are you thinking, beautiful wife of mine?"

Castle's voice intruded on my thoughts and brought me back to the present.

"I'm thinking mostly about the physical therapy that's in my future, even after the cast comes off, and I'm also thinking about how to tell LJ that we're going to Storm Fall for a 'parent only' trip. All Jamie and the twins needs to know is that they're going to spend some extra time with Alexis and Ashley, but LJ will want a straightforward answer."

"That's true, but what if she reads too much into it, like the time she was convinced that the baseballs at the batting cages were alive and trying to gobble her up?"

"That was my first clue that she's never going to be cut out for baseball, especially since she barely tolerated going to a Mets game with my dad and Amaya," I laughed a little at the memory. "But seriously, I'm not even sure what to say because she's the only one out of our kids right now who has an overactive imagination and a wickedly sharp memory, and I'm not saying that this will happen, but what if she 'reads between the lines' and thinks that we're getting divorced?"

Castle sighed sadly and held my hand. "We'll cross that bridge if we get to it, but I hope that we don't. LJ's been with us for just over two years now, and I haven't forgotten that she came from an unstable home life with Meredith and that she was a little neglected, but I'd just hoped that we'd moved past that part by now."

"I've also been hoping for that, but sometimes it takes years for wounded hearts to fully heal, and I know that better than most people do."

"That, you certainly do," He held my fingers to his lips and kissed them. "And it's one of the many things that makes you such a strong person and a great role model to our kids and grandkids."

I blushed at the compliment and would've responded if it hadn't been for Iris entering the room, pushing a wheelchair with a pair of purple forearm crutches resting on the seat. When I saw the equipment, I became wary.

"Are those mine?"

"Indeed they are," she pushed them to the side and then shut the door behind her. "But we'll talk about that in a minute because right now I need to see how much weight you can take on that leg, and how far you can go without assistance from Rick or myself. Will you stand up for me, please?"

I did as I was told but in a delicate manner because although the pain medication was dulling the pain, my instincts told me to favored the uninjured ankle. Iris chastised me lightly and encourage me to try again, but when I did and took a few steps forward, I became wobbly and collapsed. Luckily, Iris caught me before I fell completely and she was quick to bring me back my bed, whereupon she ordered Castle to sit with me and keep my uninjured ankle elevated in his lap.

"Well, considering that your scans from yesterday show that your ankle is fractured in two places, it's not surprising that you down like a sack of potatoes." Iris tried to remain upbeat because she could obviously read my mortified expression. "In fact, it's good because it shows how much physical therapy you're going to need."

"Will it be a lot?" I ran a hand over my belly to soothe the squirmy child inside. "Have you ever had pregnant patients before?"

"Many times, and it's all going to go splendidly, but your therapy sessions for the time being are going to be accommodated."

"Because I'm pregnant?"

"Precisely, and it's going to be like that so we don't put too much stress on your body. I've seen your records from your last two pregnancies, and the last thing we need is for you to have a longterm hospitalization. Our number one goal besides getting your ankle and foot rehabilitated is that you only have to come here to see me for your appointments."

"Does any of this mean that Kate will have to keep up the therapy after the baby comes?" Castle asked.

"Most definitely," Iris told him before turning back to me. "Things will be lighter for now since you're at the end of your first trimester, but it's going to be more rigorous after the little one is born."

I did my best to be mature about it and distracted myself by looking over at the equipment.

"So then is the chair for when I'm huge and immobile?"

"If you want to put it that way, then yes, but it's also for when you get tired after using the crutches."

"Am I going to to try them out now?"

She nodded as she brought everything over. "Yes, but first I must ask: what is your profession?"

"I'm the captain of the homicide division at the Twelfth Precinct in Midtown."

"Is there going to be an opportunity for you to take a sabbatical? I highly recommend it so you don't have to worry about running things over there."

I laughed nervously. "We actually have a question that relates to that."

"Ask away."

"If I'm cleared to leave today, will I be okay to travel?"

Iris raised an eyebrow. "What kind of travel, and to where?"

"By car, to our house in the Hamptons. Rick and I have a lot of things to talk about, a sabbatical being one of them."

Castle suddenly tacked something on for what he saw as good measure. "We'd ask our chauffeur take us, so I'd be in the back seat with Kate to keep an eye on her."

"As long as there aren't any objections to a practice round with the crutches in the therapy room, and you take it easy, I don't see why you can't go."

Castle and I breathed sighs of relief and thanked her. Soon thereafter, it was time to travel over to the physical therapy room two floors down.

* * *

The whole therapy session itself was very grueling because the more I walked, the more it began to sink in that I was really hurt. Throughout it, I realized that if not for the forearm crutches for support because they were different than regular crutches because there were sturdy rubber grips to hold into and higher up, there were plastic parts to keep the crutches in place just above my elbows.

Amaya had come to oversee things, acting as the doctor monitoring my pregnancy, and I felt lots of love towards her when she told me that she'd been advocating for me since yesterday to get the forearm crutches because they'd be easier to manage as my pregnancy progresses.

Eventually, it was time to go back to my room for a rest, after which Iris cleared me to go home, provided that I'd call her with an answer about a sabbatical when we'd made our choices about everything. We agreed and busied ourselves with getting ready to go, although we paid visits to Juliana and Melissa to see how they'd fared after yesterday's ordeal.

When we finally left and were on our way back by taxi, neither Castle nor I said much because we were both contemplating the next courses of action: telling the kids about my injuries, and then explaining that we're going to be gone for the next two days.

I hope everything works out…


	57. Return To Storm Fall

When we entered the loft and looked around, we saw that Martha and Serenity had gone home, but Alexis and Ashley had already settled into their roles as caretakers because Ashely was at the stove with LJ, explaining how to make spaghetti, while Alexis was at the breakfast nook rolling out cookie dough with Jameson, Jeremiah, Johanna, Toby and Abby. It was a very lovely scene to come home to.

Our presence didn't go unnoticed, but the sight of me a wheelchair made the little ones apprehensive. Ever the leader, LJ came over and spoke with lots of caution.

"Mama, what happened to you?"

"I got hurt pretty badly when daddy and I were chasing a bad guy."

LJ immediately shot Castle a murderous glare. "Daddy, aren't you supposed to protect mama? She's the only one I have, and now she's BROKEN!"

We all watched in surprise more than anything else as she stalked across the room to the office and slam the door shut behind her. My heart fell into a million pieces because I was confused and trying to figure out what had triggered LJ's bizarre behavior. I looked up to Castle, and he kissed me on the forehead in reassurance.

"I got this one, babe." He told me. "I'll be right back."

* * *

_Castle's Point of View_

* * *

I found LJ sitting at my desk with a pack of markers in her hands, but she was fixing her gaze on the printer, as if trying to decide whether she wanted to use a dormant superpower to blow the machine up, summon it towards herself… or maybe she was deciding the safest way to retrieve some paper out of it since the machine was just out of her reach.

Deciding the latter, I pulled out half the ream and placed it in front of my daughter, an action that seemed to unfreeze her because she immediately got to work on drawing, paying me no heed as I sat across the desk from her.

"What's the matter, baby angel?" I asked her a few minutes later.

"A lot of things, daddy."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She nodded and continued to draw. "Is it okay if I talk about the mama who's tummy I growed in? It's kinda about her."

"Go for it."

"When we were still in California, there was that guy that came to viusit right before mommy said that she hadded two babies in her tummy."

I said nothing because the last time LJ had brought this up, it hadn't been pretty.

"That guy was a total meanie, and he hit mommy until she cried."

"D-did you see it happen?"

"No; I was hidin' under the covers on her bed, but I heared all of it. We did lotsa cuddling when the guy was gone, but my heart felt said that mommy gotted hurt 'cause I couldn't protect her."

Everything suddenly came together in my head. "And when you saw us come I just now, it made you remember, and that's why you got mad at me?"

"Yeah…" LJ looked up from her picture for a second. "You'd never hurt mama, would you?"

I felt my heart break when she asked, but I still answered her. "No, my Lily Joy, I'd never hurt mama in a million years because I love her too much to do that."

"Daddy, I also love Mama Katie so much, but why did she have to get hurt and get her ankle in a cast, like how my arm was?"

"LJ, she has a baby in her tummy, but there are also these things in her body called hormones that mess with her muscles, and that's why broke her ankle when she fell."

Now she had stopped coloring and was regarding me with great interest.

"Mama Katie has a baby in her tummy again? That's why she keeps on sighing and rubbing her eyes all the time?"

"Yes. Are you excited to be a big sister again?"

She actually shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not."

"But you love babies!"

"Not always…"

Before I could figure out the reason for LJ's obvious disdain, she was already changing the subject.

"I'll help mama, like she helpded me when I was in a cast 'cause it's probably gonna take her a long time to heal, but do you think maybe she'd feel better if I hugged her and gave her a picture of us holding hands?"

"She would totally feel better if you did that, but she might cry."

"It's 'cause of the hormo-thingies in her body?"

"Right," I nodded. "But she'd still really like it."

LJ gave me a genuine grin, but looked like she didn't want to be touched.

"Could you tell mama that I'm so sorry, and that I'll be out in a few minutes?"

I took that as my cue to leave and stood up. "Sure thing. Do you need anything else?"

"No, but I love you lots and lots, daddy."

"I love you, too."

Although I had a feeling that LJ still had a few secrets to keep to herself, I decided not to push my luck and left her to draw.

* * *

Kate was a little miffed when I told her that LJ knew about the baby and even tried to take a swat at me with one of her crutches, but we eventually realized that even for a six year old, LJ is very trustworthy and wouldn't go blabbing any time soon.

When LJ finally emerged from my office, she had a new drawing in tow and gave it to Kate who surveyed it for a few moments before bursting into a hormone-induced crying fit (just like I'd predicted). I'm sure that my wife's heart had turned to mush just to see the kind gesture from LJ, but I think that Kate was reduced to a puddle after our daughter proceeded to wipe her tears for her and promise that she'd love her forever.

You'd think that after LJ's freak-out, she would have hit the roof to find out that we were leaving for two days, but she was actually okay with it because she was really looking forward to extra time with Alexis and Ashley.

Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna needed more convincing, but LJ explained to her bothers and sister that we'd be back before long, and in the mean time, they'd build a fort and look at tons of picture books with Abby and Toby. That generous offer immediately won all of the toddlers over, and they didn't even notice when we left.

* * *

Two hours later

* * *

Kate slept through most of the ride up to Storm Fall, but after we arrived and saw Beau the chauffeur off after he helped us with our luggage, we set up camp in the bedroom because Kate wanted to be able to fully stretch out as we talked.

"So... it's time to talk about the elephant in the room." She sighed. "I'm still not sure if I want to quit, but I've also considered retiring."

I gaped at her because this was the first I was hearing about that particular idea.

"R-retire? Kate, you're still young enough to be at your job for another twenty years before you could even hit the idea of retiring early, let alone old age! Wasn't Roy in his late fifties or early sixties before he handed the reigns to you?"

"Okay, so Roy retired when he was about sixty, but I'm thirty-four, and I've been with the NYPD since I was nineteen! That's fifteen years, and in another five, it'll have been twenty! I'm not even forty yet, and I've done so much at work that…"

Kate's words tapered off and she sighed shakily as she ran a hand over her baby bump. Just as LJ had earlier, Kate looked like she didn't want to be touched, so I refrained from doing it and spoke gently instead.

"It all feels wonderful, but now that you've solved your mom's murder, you're not sure what do with yourself any more?"

"Exactly." She nodded. "I brought closure to it, so I'm sure she's resting easily now and I even brought closure for Amaya's first husband, but now I just don't know what to do."

"What about bringing justice and closure to the families of the victims whose cases come across your desk every day? Is that still important to you?"

"Of course, but how am I going to feel next year? Or the year after that?"

"Would you regret retiring early?"

"I'm honestly not sure. I really like my job, even if it's about murder, but now that we have Alexis, Lily, Jamie, Jed, Joey, and one on the way as well as two grandbabies and whatever it is that Abby is to us, I've been coming to realize that family comes first. I mean... what if after the baby comes and I go back to work but get called onto the field for whatever reason and then die from a gunshot wound because the perp had a police killer bullet?"

My heart clenched at the thought. "Don't ever talk like that, Kate; I can't live a day without you."

"And vice versa, but you knew back when you started following me that these kinds of things would come up one day!"

"Do you regret marrying me?" (I actually felt scared for a moment) "Is that what you're saying?"

"I don't regret any of it because you've always been my one-and-done, even if it took me a few years to realize that. You've given me everything I want and then some. I love my life and everyone in it, but when I think about my career any number of years down the road, I'm scared!"

"That's all right, you know. Even I get scared."

"You were an author long before you met me. What did you have to be scared of?"

"Losing a family member, for one. Alexis had a terrifying bout of pneumonia when she was three, and was hospitalized for almost two months."

Kate raised her eyebrows but said nothing.

"Alexis doesn't talk about it because she isn't blessed with a good longterm memory like Lily is, but it was absolutely terrifying."

"I'm sure…"

"Mother had a battle with leukemia right around the same time, and I took a two year sabbatical to take care of them. They haven't been sick like that again, but my biggest fear then was losing my family. I'm still scared of that."

Kate finally leaned against me and I wrapped an arm around her belly as I continued, feeling relieved now.

"Not a day goes by that I don't worry about getting a phone call from Kevin or Javier or Lanie that you've been shot or killed because of your work, but even when I followed you, I never stopped you because it's always clear that kicking ass and taking names is your passion. I never wanted to get in the way of that, so I didn't, but even if you want to take a sabbatical for a year or so to focus on getting better, having the baby and spending time with everybody, that's fine with me and I'll be there for you no matter what happens."

"Rick, what if it takes that long just to figure out if I want to retire early? I'd hand the reigns over to my old friend Victoria Gates at One PP because she'd be good at it and because she's known me since I was a rookie, but I wouldn't hand it over to anyone else…"

We fell silent for a few minutes, each getting lost in our own thoughts and to be honest, I started nodding off. Kate roused me by patting me on the cheek.

"Wake up, love."

"I wasn't sleeping. I was totally awake." Those words were uttered around a huge yawn. "You hungry?"

"Not yet, but I've definitely decided that I want to start the sabbatical when we get back to the city."

I was a little taken aback. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah. It's what's right, and I'd be able hang out with the kids more." She pulled her shirt back to expose her belly, lily tattoo and all. "Plus, it would give me a chance to know this little guy or girl."

I leaned over and placed lots of gentle kisses on the bump. My heart melted when I heard Kate sigh in contentment, so I went a little further and talked to the baby.

"Hi, little bunny! This is your daddy talking to you, and until we find out if your gender, I'll keep calling you 'little bunny' because I'm totally convinced you're a girl… and it'll drive mama bonkers anyway."

Kate laughed at this and sat up. "You're correct about that."

I grinned a kissed her belly again just because I knew she liked it.

"One last thing, little bunny: mama and I love you so much, forever and ever." I looked at Kate. "That's true, right?"

"Absolutely, but I think we could do with some food now!"

I rose and went to her side of the bed where her chair and crutches were. "Which one do you want to use to go downstairs?"

"Might as well be the crutches; I need to get used to them."

I helped her put them on, but midway through, we heard a huge crack of thunder from outside that made us both jump. Two seconds later, we heard a steady downpour of rain that was sure to last all night. Kate shrugged it off and continued to put on her crutches, but questioned me when she saw me fumbling for my phone like it was a hot potato.

"What's the matter with you?"

"If the rain is like this here, that means that it's going to be worse at home!" I explained as I started typing a text. "We both know that Ashley is a levelheaded guy and can keep the kids calm in just about any situation, but it's Alexis that I'm worried about."

"Why's that?"

I sent the message and pocketed my phone before answering my wife.

"Of the things Alexis remembers from her early childhood without trouble, it's the night Meredith and I decided to divorce. It was bad, but there was a godawful lightning storm and ever since then, Alexis has associated this kind of weather with memories of that night because it all shocked her into silence for two months. It still freaks her out."

Kate looked out the window and watched the storm clouds as their lightning lit up the night sky.

"I just hope they're all okay over there…"


	58. Get Along

_Across town, Castle loft_

_Alexis' Point of View_

* * *

Being both massively pregnant and a mom to two small kids comes with a huge number of compromises that you learnt to deal with, including early bedtimes.

Unfortunately for me, I was diagnosed with insomnia when I was pregnant with Tobias and put on medication only after he was born. The downside is that I can't have the meds during a pregnancy.

So… even though I try my hardest to fall asleep when we put the kids down for the night, it still takes me forever to get drowsy.

What kind of compromise is that?

* * *

_BOOM!_

I jerked out of my sleep almost immediately at the crack of thunder outside and once I realized what was happening, I started having flashbacks to the night my parents divorced. Ashley knows about my insomnia and my fears of this kind of weather, so under normal circumstances, he'd keep me calm, but we had two other problems named Tobias and Abigail.

We've learned from past experiences that Tobias finds thunder, lightning and rain very fascinating, and sure enough, he was already on the floor and hurrying towards the window to look outside. On the other hand, this was the first time we've been through this kind of thing with my sister, and she turned out to be just as freaked as I was. The poor dear had her stuffed peacock clamped under one arm but was clinging to tightly to my sleeping shirt with the other, in tears.

"Come on, Lex." Ashley turned on the bedside lamp and pulled me close. "It can't get us in here."

"I know, and you'd think I'd have outgrown this fear by now, but now my behavior is just going to teach the kids that I'm a big wimp!"

"It shows them that sometimes grown-ups also get scared," He gently corrected me. "But if Abby's behavior or Toby's fascination with the light and rain are any indicators, I don't think they'll notice."

I grunted a little as baby Natalie nailed me with an extra hard kick, warning me that she didn't like having her personal space invaded. Abby nudged her back and seemed a little angry about it.

"Don't do that." I warned her. "The baby doesn't like it, and neither do I."

Abby blew a raspberry at me in defiance, but two seconds later, another loud rumble of thunder was heard and while I about jumped out of my skin, Abby decided to burrow under the blankets just as the power went out.

"That's just great…" Ashley muttered.

"What about LJ, Jamie and the twins? Will you go check on them?"

He nodded and started to get up but was interrupted by text, which he quickly read through.

"That was from Rick. He just reminded me where the candles, batteries, lanterns and extra blankets are, in case the power goes out."

"Okay, but please go check on the little kids now. They must be worried."

The words had no sooner left my mouth than LJ and Jameson came bounding in, equally afraid. LJ gave Jameson a boost up before jumping on the bed at light speed and pressing herself up against my body.

"Lexie, I gotted Jamie, but I couldn't get Jed and Joey 'cause it's real scary outside!"

She dissolved into tears, as did Jameson and in an instant, I found myself soothing two more frightened children. Abby resurfaced from under my blankets at that point, and when she grew upset when she saw LJ with me.

_"NO!_ LESSISSISS _MINE!"_

She hit LJ across the face, and naturally, LJ started crying harder.

_"HEY!_ THAT'S NOT VERY NICE!"

Ashley intervened by getting out of bed and plucking Abby out of LJ's immediate line of fire.

"Abigail Jasmine, you're being really naughty, so that means no cuddling time with Sissy right now."

Ignoring my sister's cries of protests as Ashley carried her out, I focused on how to make LJ feel better while trying to convince Jameson that the weather wasn't so bad. Tobias remained unfazed because he hasn't moved from the window. I also had an annoyed gestating baby to settle, so I kept a hand on my belly as I kissed LJ's burning cheek.

"I'm sorry that Abby did that to you, but I need you to be a big girl and carry all of these blankets to my closet."

"What?" She became so perplexed that she forgot about being mad. "Why?"

"It's big enough for all of us to fit in while we wait for the storm to stop, and we're going to need a blanket nest to curl up in!"

LJ immediately got to work while I started convincing the boys to come with us. My brother had no objections, although my son wanted to stay at the window, but when he saw what the other two were doing, his interest won over and he went to investigate.

Eventually, we were all wrapped up in our blankets, but Tobias was itching to get back to the window, and Abby and Jameson weren't any less afraid than they had been earlier. Ashley arrived about ten minutes later, hauling LJ's wagon, which was full of supplies but more importantly, the rest of my siblings.

When Jeremiah and Johanna saw me, they gave me kisses and cuddles but quickly preoccupied themselves with burrowing under the blankets because that was far more intriguing to them. LJ crept back towards me, clearly seeking out my comfort, so I held her and rocked her because she was shaking like a kitten.

* * *

The storm still hadn't let up forty-five minutes later when Abby had finally had enough of LJ being on my lap and went after her again.

"No, Eshy! Me turn!"

"But I'm scared!"

"Me, too!"

"I'm bigger!"

Abby pointed to me. "Lessississ me sissy!"

"She's also mine, but I'm still bigger!"

_"MOVE!"_

With all of her might, Abby tried to shove LJ off my lap, but when that failed, she raised her voice again.

_"NO, NO, NO! GO 'WAY!"_

It all happened so fast that neither Ashley nor I had time to stop Abby as she slapped LJ again. Of course, LJ acted on first instinct and started sobbing her eyes out, but I could tell she was concentrating hard to not retaliate. Ashley dealt with Abby, and I was a bit relieved that they other kids were all sleeping through the commotion, because that made things easier as I spoke to LJ.

"Sweetie, I think Abby is jealous of you."

"How come? I don't like her either, but I don't hit people when I don't get my way! Didn't her daddy teach her that it's not nice?"

"Probably, but remember that Abby is in a brand new situation."

"Lexie, I know, but I still don't understand why she's acting out. Was I like that when daddy and mama 'dopted me?"

"No, but you also weren't one-and-a-half. You were three and very well-mannered."

LJ said nothing to this.

"Have you ever thought that even though she's jealous, she doesn't know how to speak properly because she's little?"

"No…"

I was cut off by a clap of thunder that was loud enough to shake the windows, and LJ immediately forgot everything we just discussed because she erupted into full-blown hysterics and scurried over to Ashley's arms. Abby moved over to a far corner of my huge walk-in closet away from the rest of us, and Tobias, Jameson and Johanna woke up and hurried to me, howling in fright.

When they were all settled, we saw that Abby remained cowering in the corner and sucking her thumb as a nervous habit. Ashley and I moved to comfort her, but she just shook her head and kept repeating "No!" over and over when we got close.

It made me sad to see her like that, but I went warm and fuzzy two seconds later when Abby took a few deep breaths without prompting and crawled towards LJ. Unsurprisingly, my middle sister flinched when Abby reached out to touch her but she relaxed after a moment, with good reason.

"Eshy, me sowwy."

"Really?"

Abby gave LJ a peck on the cheek. "Supa sowwy, Eshy."

"Hitting isn't good, Abby. It's naughty."

"Naw-tee." The little one echoed. "Naw-tee."

The thunder outside sounded again, but it was in the distance, meaning that it was moving on. My sisters both heard it and shivered, but LJ decided to be the bigger person and held Abby's favorite blanket out to her.

"I'm also sorry, but I think maybe could love you like how I love Lexie. Wanna snuggle?"

"Yeah!"

Abby approached LJ and actually giggled when LJ fussed over her like a mother hen by wiping her tears and wrapping her in the blanket.

"We're good, Abby Jazzy."

"Fwiens?"

"Yep." LJ kissed her on the top of her head as she yawned. "Are you sleepy?"

"Uh-huh…"

"Okay, we'll just snuggle under the blankets. Come on."

Abby made a trilling noise and crawled over to me, snuggling with my belly. Taken aback, I just laid down next to her and when LJ settled on Abby's other side, she was rewarded with Abby's complete attention.

"Comfy?"

"Yeah!"

"Wanna hear a lullaby?"

"Yeah…"

LJ promptly began singing a Russian lullaby that she had no doubt learned from Kate, but they were down for the count in a matter of minutes with Abby wedged comfortably between my big belly and LJ's frontside. In fact, Abby was holding tightly to the fabric of LJ's nightie to keep her close, even in sleep.

I looked over at Ashley, who was arranging the rest of the now sleeping children between him and LJ.

"What just happened?"

He shrugged. "I don't speak Girl, but I'm pretty sure that Lily Joy and Abigail just called a truce and have decided to get along. Don't question it."

"I won't."

"Good." He grinned as he threw a blanket over all eight of us. "Are you ready to sleep?"

I yawned a monster yawn and the baby stretched out in response.

"Totally, and so is Natalie."

"The storm is passing, so I think you'll finally be able to get some shut-eye."

I was barely awake now, but I managed to hold onto for a little bit longer. "Ashley, do you want lots of kids one day, like how my parents have all of us?"

"Yes, I do and it would be nice one day." He smiled thoughtfully. "Two girls and three boys… maybe we'll get lucky and two of those boys will be twins."

"Oh, man… I don't know how I'd be able to handle carrying two baby boys inside me…"

"I'd be at your beck and call, but twins are just a notion to entertain for now."

"Because we have all of these rugrats to keep us busy, especially since two of them are ours."

"Exactly, but I really think we should get some sleep now because we have a full day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Good night. I love you."

I barely heard his response because I fell asleep and started dreaming right away.

My first dream was mostly about Abby and LJ getting along, but the second dream was all about me raising two identical baby boys who were pretty much Ashley's clones, en miniature.

Good thing we know for sure that the baby growing inside me is a girl, and that there's only one of her.


	59. Talking Helps

**This is dedicated with lots of love to my writing mentor, myboygeorge. **

* * *

_October 28, a few days later_

_Remy's Diner, LJ's Point of View_

* * *

I've been having a bad day, almost as bad as when I broke my arm.

Dallas and Rio moved to California last year, and I'm glad, but there's a new bully now, and uh… this one is a girl.

Her name is Mila D'Agostino, and she's just wicked. Mama and daddy already know we don't get along because they had a meeting with Mila's parents and Principal Goldsmith after Mila punched me out just because I sat on her favorite swing on the playground during recess two weeks ago.

Mila hasn't bothered me since, but today I saw her bothering another kid. Me and Zeke, Mo, Justice, Jubilation, Raja, Savannah and Inga all defended the kid, but it still made me sad to see that Mila hadn't stopped pushing other kids around.

I felt better when Miss Nora from the main office came to tell me that mama called to say that she was going to pick me up, so I didn't have to go home on the bus.

I'm happy to have some special time with mama, but I'm worried about her because her ankle is broken and she can't walk without these special crutches that the doctor gaved her. Sometimes when she gets tired from walking, mama uses a wheelchair to get around in.

All the worrying makes me feel funny.

* * *

"Lily Joy, are you okay?"

I shrugged. "It was kind of a rough day at school."

"Did Mila bother you?"

"No, but she bothered another kid. Me and my friends helped the kid out, though."

"Did any of you get in trouble?"

"Only Mila."

I looked out the window for a little bit at the people passing by on the sidewalk, holding their umbrellas over their heads to keep all the rain off them. Our waitress came to take our orders, and it was after she left that mama's voice became serious.

"Baby Bird, I know you know about the baby in my tummy. How come you haven't said anything?"

"Nobody said I could."

"You can say something now, if you like."

"When is her birthday supposed to be?"

"In April, just in time for daddy's birthday, or maybe even Gram's. Why do you ask?"

I shrugged again because I was beginning to feel angry and I was afraid that if I told mama what I was thinking, I'd hurt her feelings.

"Why aren't you excited? You _like_ babies!"

"Why does everyone keep on saying that?" I complained. "Babies can be fun, but I don't like them _all_ the time!"

"Why?"

I didn't answer because our food came right at that second, so I started stuffing my face with cheesy fries just in case mama had another question. Those fries were good, and I was about to take a couple more, but mama suddenly whisked all of my food and my chocolate milkshake to her side of the table.

"Hey! That's mine!"

"Not until you can give me a straight answer about why you're so unhappy!"

I glowered at her, but she glowered right back, so I knew she meant buisness.

"It's 'cause I'm afraid that something could happen to her, okay? Jamie was fine, but you were in the hospital for months and _months_ when the twins were in your tummy 'cause all of you were sick! You were already in the hospital _now_ 'cause you broke your ankle, and that got me _scarder!"_

Mama didn't say anything and handed me my food. We ate without taking.

* * *

After we were done, mama tried having another conversation.

"LJ, daddy and I know that you've been asking to a pet lately. Would you like it if we got you a kitten?"

"I like dogs more."

"Sorry, kid, but I'm allergic. So is Alexis."

"Then could we get a small dog ? I just don't want a kitten!"

"Why not?"

"They're lame, and my mommy hadded two Siamese kittens, like in _Lady_ _and_ _the Tramp. _Do you know that movie?"

"Yes."

"Mommy's kitties eated my goldfish, and I don't just mean the cracker kind! I hadded pets, and mommy's dumb ol' kitties _eated_ them! Know what else?"

"Do tell."

"Mommy gotted me lots of cheer-up presents, and one of them was a puppy!"

"You used to have a dog? Do you remember its name?"

"It was Wolfie 'cause he looked like a wolf. I miss him."

"Where'd he go?"

"We gaved him away 'cause mommy and the babies gotted super sick, plus he couldn't come on the plane ride here." I sighed a big sigh and tried not to cry. "Please can I not have a pet anymore? It would make me way too sad."

"Okay, you don't have to get a pet. Why don't you tell me about what you did at school today, instead? Did you get anything cool at the rummage sale?"

I nodded and pulled a stuffed animal from the front pocket of my backpack, but got up to give it to mama for examining.

"This is a stuffed porcupine toy…"

"Yeah, but Inga didn't want it, and it was the last thing on her desk, so she just gave it to me. I was gonna give it to Joey, but I guess I gotta be a little nice to the baby so I can get on her good side."

Mama held one of my hands on her belly and smiled. "Thanks for being so thoughtful!"

I moved my hand away because the way I saw it, just because I was trying to get on the baby's good side, that didn't automatically make us buddies.

"The toy belongs to Porcupine now, so she can keep it."

"Why are you being so sassy with me?"

I attacked a brand new plate of cheesy fries instead of answering mama. She got mad.

"Lily Joy Stana, you stop stuffing your face this instant!"

"Make me!"

"I perfected the 'stuff your face' method when my mama brought me here years and years and years ago to tell me that she had a baby in her tummy!"

Mama's words really surprised me. "You hadded a sibling from her back then?"

"Yes, and she was called Evangeline."

"What happened?"

"Evangeline died."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks, but you still haven't told me what's making you act sassy."

"I don't wanna talk about it yet."

"Don't think you can get off the hook so easily!"

"Okay, Katie."

Mama looked angry again because she sometimes does when I call her by her actual name, but she sighed and let it go.

"Do you want to go home now?"

"Uh-huh."

She said that was cool and then called Beau (our driver) to ask him to pick us up.

* * *

When we walked into the loft, mama went to look for daddy, but I saw Gram and Serenity were both on the couch because they were visiting, so I hurried over when they invited me.

"What's the matter?" Gram pulled me close for a cuddle. "Did your mother tell you that you're going to be a big sister again?"

"Yeah, but I think I hurt her feelings…"

"Do you want to tell us about it?" Serenity wanted to know. "The little kids are napping, and your parents are in the study."

"Please don't tell them yet."

"Okay, Lily; we won't." she promised.

"I'm scared that something could happen to the baby, like how it was when mama was growing the twins in her tummy."

"I heard about that."

"There's another thing I'm scared of."

"Like what?"

"That this baby could die in mama's tummy since she's already hurt. Before I meeted Mama Katie, my mommy hadded two babies in her tummy, but then she hadded an operation to take the babies out 'cause they died. I miss my Sparkle and my Sapphire very much a lot epically tons 'cause I think they'd be a little older than my Abby…"

Lots and lots of tears were falling down my face because I was feeling sad now.

"But then what if the baby is actually okay, and something totally different happens and we don't get along? I want to be a good big sister, but sometimes it's just really, really hard!"

Gram and Serenity let me cry as much as I wanted, and the part that I liked best was that they didn't try to talk to me; they just gave me tissues to wipe my tears and gave me some water to drink so I didn't cry all the tears out of me. Gram started talking after I gave back the glass of water.

"Serenity and our other sister, Constance, were by no means my biggest fans when I came along."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. We argued a lot when we were little."

"I haven't seen your Constance before, but how could you fight with Serenity? She's your sister _and _your best friend!" 

"When we were little, I found lots of reasons to fight with Constance and Serenity, especially about who put the Scarlet Kingsnake in my desk drawer."

Serenity rolled her eyes. "For the last time, that was _Constance_, and she framed me!"

"So you say…"

I actually giggled, so Gram tapped me on the nose.

"See, kiddo? There might be something that comes up between you and the new baby, but time just has a way of repairing the way that sibling get along with each other. It's best not to rush it."

"It's okay if you two don't get along for awhile," added Serenity. "But for now, I think you should just worry about little kid stuff."

"Alright, but you and Gram are bestest friends forever and ever?"

"Most definitely; I'd do anything for her and she'd do anything for me. I'll had you know that she saved my life once."

"Wow! I wanna hear _that_ story!"

"Not today, LJ." Gram told me.

"Why not?" I whined.

"You were a big girl just now, sharing all of your feelings like that. Being that brave is the perfect occasion to do something special, such as baking chocolate chip cookies!"

Now Serenity was agreeing. "That sounds like a good idea, especially since it's rainy outside."

I smiled a lot and hugged both of them. "I love both of you lots!"

Gram pulled me into a hug, and then Serenity did the same.

"We love you, too."

* * *

Even though I'm only six, I suddenly felt like a huge load had been lifted off my shoulders.

* * *

Time to bake!


	60. Katherine and Victoria

_Next day, October 29_

_One Police Plaza, Kate's Point of View_

* * *

After returning from Remy's Diner with LJ yesterday, the first thing I did was find Castle and tell him everything. My husband's heart was just as broken as mine was by the end, and we both agreed that LJ will always be our baby, but will remain an enigma.

Afterwards, we found that LJ had used that time to have a heart-to-heart conversation with Martha and Serenity. Exactly what they talked about was kept private, but LJ apologized for being sassy and invited us to bake chocolate chip cookies with them.

It isn't all fun and games yet because I still have a few more things to do yet before officially being declared 'on sabbatical.' My squad knows what's going on, and I've even called Iris already to appraise her of my plans to which the chops doctor told me that I'll be starting proper physical therapy tomorrow.

I even already know exactly who I'll ask ask to take over: my old friend in the Internal Affairs Beureau, Victoria Gates,who has been in my life since I was a rookie. She's always kept an eye on me from afar over the years.

Now it's just a matter of her saying yes.

* * *

A major learning moment that's come out of this whole experience is that I've been thinking twice about what it's like to have even a temporary kind of handicap or disability.

That isn't to say that I don't know anyone in my life with either one because I do: Jessica and Bella are both legally blind; Yoshi is autistic and colorblind; Tokutaro and Mitsunobu are also colorblind; Calvin and Emily have dysgraphia; LJ's friend Savannah is ADD/ADHD; and Melissa, Justice, Nozomi, Ezekiel, Moses, Raja and even LJ herself are all dyslexic to varying degrees. Me, I've always been blessed to not have an issue like any of those.

But taking all of that into consideration as I wheel myself along in this wheelchair, it still feels a little strange.

At least my only goal in the immediate present is to get myself up to Victoria's eighth floor office.

This ought to be fun.

* * *

I got as far as boarding the elevator before running into trouble in the form of Sergeant Albert Cummings. He's pretty tough, and hails from the Tenth Precinct's narcotics unit. Just about everybody knows that he has a few complaints on his jacket because he has been disrespectful with his fellow officers and even rough with suspects before. He's a little older than me, but also has a little contempt for women in police uniform because he would prefer to 'keep things old fashioned.' How the man got to his current rank is beyond me.

"Hey, Beckett." His tone came off as a sneer. "You've got another kid on the way, and you're wheelchair bound? Where's your husband? Shouldn't he be pushing you around since you dragged his ass around for years?"

"How nice of you to notice my conditions, Cummings, but as for my husband, I made him stay home to look after the rest of the kids and write a new bestselling book."

The elevator bell dinged and Cummings made to get off when the doors opened, but I held onto his arm and pulled so that he was eye-level with me. I spoke in a tone of deadly calm.

"And Cummings? Not only do I outrank you, but I'm also on my way to see a good friend in IAB, and if they hear about how you disrespected me, they will kick _your_ ass all the way back down to _archives!_ Do I make myself clear?"

He actually looked scared. "Yes, Captain Beckett! My apologies!"

I let him go, and he departed without another word. There were no more passengers for the rest of the ride, so I was able to gather up enough courage to hold my head up high as I rolled myself down the corridor to Victoria's office. Luckily, she was just getting to her office when I arrived.

"Hi, Kate!" She held the door open a little wider for me. "I heard that you and Rick both took a beating during the a suction. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to pay either of you a visit."

"You didn't miss much, but never mind that." I parked myself by her desk while she shut the door and got herself situated. "How are you doing? How are Miranda and Sunday?"

"I'm great, thanks for asking." She grinned as she spoke of her daughter and her granddaughter next. "Miranda just got an early acceptance letter from the Columbia University Law Program saying that she got in on a full-ride scholarship until graduation, and all she has to do is keep her grades up."

"I bet she's over the moon about it!"

"Most definitely; she's always wanted to do something like this with her life. Sunday isn't sure what all the hoopla is about, but her biggest concern is that she just turned three."

I smiled but got back on topic.

"Victoria, how much of the rumor mill reaches the eighth floor?"

"Lots, and speaking of which, word has it that you were at Chief Rodriguez's office earlier. Why is that?"

"It was my first stop before coming here because I was dropping off my completed paperwork for beginning a yearlong sabbatical. Everything is all set for one thing."

"Oh?"

"The name of the person I'd like to fill in for me."

"Why isn't that set?"

"I haven't quite asked yet, but here goes: would you like to fill in for me while I'm on my sabbatical?"

Victoria was equally flattered and taken aback. "I'm honored, Kate, and I would be delighted, but why me?"

"Because you've known me since I was a teenage rookie, so you're pretty much my guardian angel on the police force, plus with a hard-earned nickname like 'Iron Gates,' you're the perfect person to keep all of my people in line, especially Detectives Ryan and Esposito."

"Anything I should know about those two?"

"They've been partners for over a decade now, and they're as close as brothers, meaning that they mess with each other constantly. It's very entertaining to mess with both of them together."

"I'll take that under advisement."

"So does that mean you'll do it? You'll take over for the year?"

"Absolutely, but I'd like to know as much as you're willing to share about why you're taking time off in the first place."

"For starters, the physical therapist I'm working with is estimating that it'll probably take about a year because of the rigorous approach that she wants to take."

Victoria nodded sympathetically. "Just after I adopted Miranda as a six-month old, I noticed that she wasn't developing on track with her basic reflexes and a few other things. I took her to a physical therapist who worked with us, and we were in it for the long haul, but it was worth it because she's perfectly fine now."

"How old was Miranda when it was all done?"

"Almost two."

"It's funny that you mentioned her as a baby, because another major portion of my sabbatical is that I'm almost four months pregnant right now. This baby is our last, but we still have Lily, Jamie, Jed and Joey at home, too."

"So you want to be able to be home with your kids, have the baby in peace and work on getting better. That's understandable."

"I'm also using the time to consider an early retirement or possibly quitting."

"But you're not even _forty_ yet!"

"You've known me since I was a rookie, and I've been on the force for _fifteen_ _years!_ I still care about bringing justice for other families, but I'm just not sure what to do with myself!"

"Do you feel burned out?"

"No, but I'm quickly approaching that point."

I sighed deeply, trying to stave off a hormonally-induced crying fit. Victoria came over and gave my shoulder a pat of reassurance as I rubbed my baby bump to let Little Bunny know I was fine.

"Deep breaths, Kate. I'll go talk to the chief as soon as possible to tell him I'll take over as captain of the homicide division at the Twelfth Precinct so you won't have to worry about anything else."

"Thanks."

"When you do leave, you should go straight home, kiss your handsome husband and then play with all of your babies until dinner time."

I found myself smiling slightly at that. "Everyone will approve of that."

Victoria returned the smile and I meant to leave, but I stayed put.

"What's the matter?"

"Does Miranda know she was adopted?"

"Yes."

"Does she know her bio-parents? Has she met them?"

"Yes, but it was a 'once-and-never-again' deal because they're junkies and her mother was using while she was pregnant, which is what had messed Miranda's system up by the time I met her. Why are you asking, though?"

"Lily has been doing this thing lately where she's been revealing tidbits about her life with Meredith."

"How does she remember at all?"

I shrugged. "But would you call it normal that she's bringing up suppressed memories? The announcement of my pregnancy seems to have been the trigger, but the memories are almost depressing…"

"I'm not a psychologist, but from one adoptive mother to another, I say to just roll with it, no matter how depressing Lily gets because she's just a little girl who may need more time to adjust than you and Castle thought. Just love LJ and be patient."

Her words were comforting, so I was able to give her a real smile.

"Thanks, Victoria. I needed to hear that."

"I'm glad you feel better."

We chatted for a few more minutes before I left and headed back down to the main lobby where I received a surprise: Castle, LJ, Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna were all waiting for me.

"Hey, everybody!" I greeted them as I rolled up. "What's going on?"

"I hadded a super short day today, mama," LJ explained as she put Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna on my lap. "So daddy collected me from the bus stop and then we all came here to collect you so you don't have to wait forever for transpo'tation!"

"That's very sweet." I wrapped my arms around the little kids in a hug. "Lily Joy, do you know what sabbatical means?"

"A sababtical sounds like a illness…"

I chuckled at her mispronunciation of the word. "It means that after today, I'm going to be on break to get better and spend time with everyone."

"How long is the sababtical?"

"An entire year, Baby Bird, that's three hundred and sixty-five days."

My heart melted as she lit up with pure joy and then pulled me into a hug. It was a tad short lived because the toddlers began protesting at having their space invaded, and I could even feel the baby squirming in protest, too. LJ let everyone have their space, but continued to be excited.

"So we could go home, build a blanket fort in the living room and read books and watch movies for the rest of the day?"

"I'll help you with your homework first, but I think you should check with daddy before you start planning which blankets to use, and how many."

LJ immediately looked to Castle.

"That all sounds like a good idea, but you didn't hide your backpack like last week, did you?"

"That was _Keiko_ when she came visiting with Papa Jim and Mama Amaya! That kid crawls everywhere now!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Castle teased her lightly. "As long as you do all your homework and help me gather snacks, it sounds like a blanket fort day is in check."

LJ cheered and began detailing everything that we were going to do.

* * *

It looks like my sabbatical is off to a great start.


	61. Francis' Birthday

_November 8, a week-and-a-half later_

_Endo house, Flora's Point of View_

* * *

Today is Francis' third birthday!

Although I've lost, gained and learned many things in equal the past three years, I wouldn't change a single moment of it.

Looking back, I know I would've fallen into a deep depression after losing Hikaru, but I didn't because I had Francis keeping me anchored to real life. My little boy's getting so big now, and has been talking loads more since the implant, eager to learn. If Hikaru could see our son today, he'd be so proud.

We had the family birthday for Francis last night with all of my relatives and he was clearly having a blast, but as his mother I know that he's been especially looking forward to today because the only people he asked for were Elijah and his adorable niece, Honolulu Prince-Corbeau. How cute is that?

And speaking of Elijah, he took the whole day off just to be with us. He didn't spend the night, but he was here before Francis woke up and took care of him while I made breakfast.

We had a quiet morning, even with the present opening, and it felt like we were a family.

If only…

* * *

"Hello, dearest." Elijah greeted me as he walked into the kitchen. "So where are all these infamous roommates you mentioned? I don't see anyone."

"They moved out awhile ago, so it's just Francis and me."

"Then that means there's nobody to walk in when I do this."

In one swift motion, my boyfriend lifted me onto the counter, placed his hands in the small of my back and planted a smoldering kiss on my lips. I leaned into the kiss, unintentionally sliding a little closer to his waist; the sudden heat spreading from the pit of my stomach out into my fingers and toes made it tempting to take him right then and there. It took all my resolve to remember there was a pint-sized one who could wander in at any moment and having him see me and Elijah wrapped up in each other was a cliché I didn't not want in my reality.

"What was that for?" I asked him, trying to play off my need in favor of being cheeky.

"No reason." He shrugged. "I just felt like it."

"That's not fair! There are so many things _I_ feel like doing, but I just can't."

Elijah pretended to pout. "Why not?"

"Mama! Mama you in h-here?"

"He's why not." I sighed as Francis wandered in, looking for me. "Perhaps another time and place."

Elijah accepted defeat and scooped Francis up in his arms to give him another hug as I greeted him.

"Happy birthday, my little prince! How do you feel?"

"H-happy."

I beamed at him. "Good job with those h's buddy; I know they are hard for you."

"I geddin' big, I...I...mmm...H-h-haffa learn!"

"Are you excited about later?"

He nodded and looked around. "Where my Woo-Woo?"

"Lulu is going to be here in a bit. Why don't we get everything together first?"

He glanced over at a particular storage bin by the fridge. "Oh, Mama! We h-haffin' benny boss be-cause my bir-day?"

"You bet, and today, you need to get _two_ bento boxes because Lulu also needs on."

Francis nodded in understanding and slid out of Elijah's arms to go complete the task.

Because he asked me awhile ago, I agreed to take him and one friend to his favorite indoor playground in Midtown, and also because he asked, everybody is going to be having homemade bento boxes. I tasked Elijah with packing away the boxes I'd already made for him, myself, Francis and Holly, who'd be tagging along. While this was happening, Francis finally presented me with two bento sets before going over to the living room to play with his new firetruck toy Elijah had given him.

I became so wrapped up in the hominess of it all that I didn't realize I'd lost track of time until I glanced at the clock on the stove and saw it was only ten minutes until our guests would be knocking on our door.

"Oh, my God! Holly and Honolulu are going to be here soon, and we're still working!"

"It's okay, I've got the last of it here," Elijah reassured me. "Go upstairs, take a few deep breaths and change into something more comfortable. I'll let Holly and Honolulu in if you aren't back yet."

I pecked him on the cheek before hurrying upstairs to my bedroom and shutting the door behind me. The outfit I was wearing wasn't anything special, but it's my boy's birthday, so I want to look nice for my little man getting so big on me already. Knowing how proud Francis is of his Japanese heritage, I donned a burgandy-colored kimono dress that was decorated with gold bamboo print, and to ensure my legs wouldn't freeze in the chilly November air, I put on a pair of black tights and my favorite lined boots to keep my feet dry and toasty.

As far as my hair went, I shook the long chocolate-colored curls loose of the ponytail it was in before combing it out and styling it into a bun. Just as an added touch, I secured the bun with my favorite jade and black bamboo tuma.

As I heard Elijah let Holly and Honolulu in downstairs, I took a few deep breaths to center myself. When I made it to the front hallway, Elijah pulled me in for another kiss and I giggled into it.

"A girl could get used to all of these kisses, Elijah. You're in a happy mood today."

"Burgundy is my favorite color on you."

He kissed me on the forehead this time, and we heard two little kids giggling, so we turned towards the doorway to where Holly was in the process of getting Francis and Honolulu bundled up.

"What are you two thinking?" I asked.

"Kissing is goofy, and it's one of the things that happens when a mama and a daddy make a baby!" Honolulu chirped.

My mouth dropped open in surprise, as did my boyfriend's. Francis tittered at our expressions while Holly blushed bright red and apologized before addressing her daughter.

"Honolulu Audrey, what have we taught you about sharing thoughts like that?"

"To think before I speak, or maybe put a filter on…"

"That's right."

Honolulu looked back up at me. "Sorry, Miss Flora."

"It's okay, kid. You ready to go?"

She nodded and looked at Francis. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah! Lessgo!"

* * *

_One hour later, Playworld_

_Chelsea, Manhattan _

* * *

We went to Francis' favorite indoor play place and surprisingly, for a rainy Sunday morning in November the main playroom was empty, meaning that we had it to ourselves. The kids were delighted to realize this and went hard on the massive structures, favoring the big slide that led into an even bigger ball pit. Part of me wanted to tell them to be careful about everything I saw that made my mother's heart leap into my throat, particularly when I saw Honolulu teaching Francis how to do somersaults into the ball-pit.

Eventually, they both came back to our table, claiming to be hungry. I know what I like to eat and what Francis likes to eat, so our bento boxes had been easy enough to make. Both Elijah and Holly had been willing to try Japanese food, but to go easy on them I dialed down on the spicy things that I can handle with ease. To go completely easy on Honolulu, I filled the compartments of her bento box with kid-friendly bits of chicken, boiled carrot slices, a few pieces of raw vegetables and fruit, as well as a slice of Francis' favorite flatbread that he'd insisted we share. The kid-sized thermos that went with the box was filled with apple juice.

My own bento box was filled with teriyaki salmon, ginger beef, Jasmine rice and pickled pears. Francis, Holly and Elijah all had similar things in their bento boxes and were already tucking into them, but Honolulu was eyeing her box warily.

"What's this, Miss Flora?"

"It's a bento box, Lulu-girl. They have these kinds of lunch boxes in Japan, and it's what Francis asked for for his birthday lunch today, so I made sure we all had one."

Francis moved closer to Honolulu and pointed at all the compartments in his own bento box. "See? Benny boss have 'nacks; eesh 'nack in a 'pot!"

Realizing that his older companion was remaining wary, Francis wasted no time spearing a piece of his shrimp tempura on a chopstick and held it out to her.

"Tas' it, fo bir-day boy?"

Honolulu took a bite and swallowed. "Yummy!"

Francis grinned and this encouraged Honolulu to tackle her meal, albeit she was using regular utensils. We all ate for awhile, but Honolulu was clearly fascinated by the bento boxes because she asked Francis a new question.

"Why's it called a bento box?"

"Be-be… be-cause it f'om Sha-pan, where my daddy f'om."

"How come we don't see him?"

"Be-be… be-cause he anshell."

"That's totally sad."

Francis gave a nonchalant shrug. "Mmm, Wisha here now, he goo'."

"That's good." Honolulu agreed. "Uncle Elijah is cool."

They continued to chat with each other about their different ideas of family, but I suddenly became very interested in my ginger beef, so as to avoid Elijah's shocked expression and Holly's look of thorough amusement because I knew all three of us were thinking the same thing: if my son has just referred to my boyfriend as the father figure in his life, what does this mean for mine and Elijah's future?

Good things, I hope.

* * *

_Later that night, Endo house_

* * *

The rest of the birthday party passed without any incident larger than that one, and Francis was deliriously happy to receive a boxed set of read aloud stories with a CD to follow along on. Honolulu was equally thrilled to receive her very own bento set, complete with a box, chopsticks, utensils, thermos and cloth sack to carry it around in, her 'thank you' gift, according to Francis.

While Elijah was hanging out with us after parting ways with his sister and his niece, he received a call from his boss, Gavin Riley, who informed him that the big construction project he'd been due to start with his team in the morning was being pushed back until March, meaning that Elijah was going to be out of work for awhile. He was clearly disappointed, and even Francis did his best to cheer him up, but I think it just ended up making him feel worse.

It didn't help matters that my emotions were all over the place because it hit me in a rush when I finally accepted that my baby boy is three years old now. That realization hit me harder when I realized how much I miss Hikaru, and harder still as I mulled over the two huge topics that had unintentionally been brought up today.

Thanks to all of that nonsense, I had no desire to be alone because I truly would have come undone if that happened, so I invited Elijah to spend the night. He gladly accepted and in pushing myself further, I went on to invite him to bed with me.

We didn't have sex (as nice as that might have felt)… we just ended up talking for awhile.

"Francis and Lulu brought up some interesting things, Elijah. What did you think?"

"I'm deeply touched that he thinks of me as a dad. Am I really the only one he's ever known?"

I nodded in affirmation. "Although there's one thing I wonder about…"

"Oh?"

"When Francis gets older, is he going to have an American accent like mine or a Ukrainian one like yours?"

"Or maybe he'll be like Holly and the accent will only pop out when he's angry or excited…"

"What about your mom?"

"Her name is Nicolette and she's full-on Parisian. Her French accent is distinct, and Francis will find her intriguing when they meet."

"Excuse me? Shouldn't I meet her before my son does?" I raised my eyebrows. "When _will_ we be able to meet Nicolette?"

"Not right away," Elijah laughed. "Maman is traveling with the Westminster Dog Show at the moment. She retired from her veterinarian practice awhile ago, but she works exclusively for the show now."

"Sounds like it keeps her busy."

"Very. She keeps in touch through Skype, and she's just as eager to meet you and Francis, but would rather do it in person. She won't be back for awhile yet, so no need to get your knickers in a twist."

I laughed and snuggled closer to Elijah, quietly appreciating that he was in just his boxers because it gave me a chance to run a hand over his chest and biceps to admire how muscular and smooth they were. He seemed to like this because he moved closer because he moved even closer so that our lower legs became tangled together while he slipped a hand under my sleeping shirt to caress my side. If I was a cat, I would've purred because of how high he'd let his hand go before starting over at my hip again.

Before I could let myself get lost in the pleasure, I was brought back to reality by a thought that had me sighing wistfully as I looked into Elijah's eyes.

"Lulu mentioned how babies are made, at least from her standpoint, and we both know Francis heard her. That boy is going to be stuck on the whole 'having a sibling' concept because he never lets things go."

"Do you want to give him a sibling? I do."

My heart melted upon hearing this. "I really, really want that, but not for a while yet. I want so much for him, for you and I, but right now I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"This is the first serious relationship I've had since Hikaru, and in every kind of relationship I had before then, everyone left me because they couldn't stand my constant moping about my mom."

"You're talking about when you were put into to the group home after losing contact with your mother on 9/11?"

"Yeah… I grew up there and it turned me into a total whiner who learned to be wary of any kind of relationship or friendship since they never lasted long." I let out a shaky breath and tried not to cry as I remembered exactly why I'd been an awful bully back then. "But now you're here and...and..."

"That's right." He smoothed back my hair and kissed me on my temple. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere, Flora. I promise you that I won't, and I also promise that when we start seriously talking about giving Francis a little brother or sister, I'll be with you every step of the way."

The knot of anxiety that had been building in my stomach undid itself as I began crying softly.

"What in the world did I do to deserve someone as wonderful as you?"

Elijah turned me over and pulled me tight against his body so that we were spooning. I certainly won't deny feeling a zip of joy in my stomach as he traced shapes over it.

"All you did was be yourself, and that's all I ever ask of you. I haven't been as happy with you and Francis as I've been in ages. Everything, right here and now in this moment, is perfect, Flora."

"Really?"

"Really," he promised, planting a noisy kiss on my neck. "I would never change it."


	62. LJ Sleeps Over

_December 18, five weeks later_

_Kevin's Point of View_

* * *

A few weeks before Flora walked into our lives back in May, Jenny and I had other family matters to sort through.

Tillie and Jung told us they want to add onto their family one last time so almost one-year old Zoe Jane can have a playmate since her siblings are way older than her. There's a catch, though: during Tillie's recent pregnancy, she was diagnosed with type two diabetes, which has the potential to cause major complications to her or a fetus. To avoid that, they decided to try a surrogate pregnancy first. The only person Tillie and Jung considered asking was my wife.

Jenny was extremely touched and agreed without hesitation. The initial insemination procedure at the fertility clinic was long and grueling for Jenny and it involved her having lots of hormone injections, all of which have put her emotions alone into hyperdrive. Flora is aware of what's going on, but Alyssa, Elliana and Thomas are all wary of Jenny's loopy moods and are holding her at arm's length for now.

Unfortunately, the procedure has yet to take effect even though we've been through a few IVF cycles now, but we've kept going this long because Jenny had said at one point that she wants to continue until she gets pregnant. Tillie has no trouble paying the bills herself because she's extremely rich and can easily afford it, but my heart breaks every time our hopes have been dashed. Jenny underwent the procedure yet again a few weeks ago, but it didn't work and she's crushed. In hindsight, she's decided that this will be the last attempt for awhile.

Right now, my latest attempt at cheering Jenny up has come in the form of taking Alyssa and the twins to the mall to get their picture taken with Santa Claus. I decided to make it a complete family outing by inviting Flora, Elijah and Francis to come along, too.

As a bonus, we have LJ, but that's because Jameson, Jeremiah and Johanna all have the flu while Kate is five months pregnant and experiencing morning sickness that's been keeping her bedridden. Rick isn't sick, but his main focus is looking after his family so in an effort to keep LJ healthy, sane and able to attend school, she's been sent to our house for a few days.

Tonight is her first night with us, and while she seems to be excited about going to see Santa, she's really dragging her feet.

* * *

"What's the matter, LJ?" I asked as Jenny and I sat on a nearby bench with her. "Everybody is ready to get in line."

"My feelings are garbled up."

Jenny almost lost her composure when LJ did something as simple as resting her head against her shoulder (the hormones will be blamed for it), but she kept her cool so LJ wouldn't notice.

"You can tell us anything."

"I… was kinda bad the other day, and I'm scared that I'm not gonna get any presents."

"What happened?"

"The other day when Alexis and Ashley were visiting, Abby was getting on my nerves and I pushed her 'cause I gotted frustrated with her about something."

"What did the grown ups do?"

"Made me apologize to Abby 'cause she was crying. Then I got a time out."

"Are you and Abby still buddies?"

"Yep!"

"When we were back at the house, I saw Elijah help you write a letter to Santa to put in the special mailbox at Macy's. Do you remember what it said?"

LJ nodded. "It was a apology, so I didn't ask for any toys 'cause I'm scared that Santa could skip me though Abby forgaved me!"

"But you're still buddies with her?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Then I'm sure Santa has noticed and moved you to the Nice List already."

"Do you really think so?"

"I do."

My goddaughter glanced over at me for my opinion, so I nodded. "He probably did it when you were asleep."

Satisfied, she looked back at Jenny. "So if I go tell Santa what I'd like for Christmas, he'd still be able to put them under the tree in time?"

"Absolutely." Jenny set her on the floor. "Why don't you hurry along and get in line with the others?"

"Okay." LJ tilted her head to the side, looking curious. "Why are you sad?"

"It's grown up stuff, Little One."

"Oh."

LJ held Jenny's hands in hers and kissed them the way that little kids do to reassure their loved ones.

"I'm sorry that you feel so crummy. Do the kisses make you feel better?"

Jenny nodded and gave LJ a radiating smile, so LJ returned it by hugging her around her knees before skipping off towards Flora and the others.

I looked back at my wife, who was now smiling fondly.

"After all this time we've known Lily Joy and we've been her godparents, I still don't know how she does it, Kevin."

"You mean how she loves without reserve?"

"Bingo."

Shrugging, I remembered something that Kate had said once. "Even her parents think of her as an enigma sometimes."

"Do they just roll with it?"

"They do, and since our family is one of the ones that LJ loves the most, we should also roll with it."

"That works for me."

Although Jenny seemed content for the time being, I knew that deep down inside, she was still feeling very sad.

* * *

_Later that night _

* * *

Jenny's contentment didn't last all night and I could tell that she was getting frustrated with herself that she can't keep her emotions in check the way she'd like to. We've been through this exact scenario a few times already, but the experience didn't make it any less harder.

The latest crying jag began after the kids were all tucked in upstairs and we were in the living room on the couch, deciding what movie to watch. I just didn't know what the trigger was this time…

"What's the going on, Jen?"

"I f-feel guilty!" She explained through her years. "I feel guilty that I can't give Tillie and Jung their one last miracle baby because I keep miscarrying while they're teeny tiny, and I feel guilty that I keep running you ragged because of these loopy hormones! How can you put up with all of the madness, Kevin? Why haven't you left to rent a hotel room so you can have a break from me?"

Jenny's words broke my heart in half.

"I'm 'putting up with all of the madness' as you charmingly describe it because I'm your husband, and you're my wife. It was in our wedding vows to stick by each other in sickness and in health because that's what a married couple does, no matter what. You are by no means running me ragged at all, so don't believe for a second that you are. I love you and I'll do anything to take care of you and make you feel better for as long as it takes."

By now, Jenny's tears had lessened somewhat, but her eyes never left my face because she was searching for even just a smidgen of hope.

"Trust me, I'm just as upset about the procedure not working as you are, but since I obviously can't sympathize with you the way you'd like, the closest I can get to it is by having family outings and movie nights. It's already been that this round will be the last one until you decide when or even if we do it again. The only thing you need to worry about is your body recuperating."

"That's probably going to take awhile."

"And I'll be there for you as much as you need, Jenny. I would never leave you, ever."

She was quiet and looking thoughtful now, so I took it as a good sign and asked a new question.

"Do you have anybody you can talk to about experiencing a miscarriage?"

"I can talk to Lanie about it. She went through it three times."

Relived that Jenny was finally feeling better, I was about to steer her in the direction of movies again when we heard a pair of little feet running into the room. A flash of red hair told us it was LJ and when she clambered up onto the couch, we saw that she looked upset.

"What's going on, Miss Lily?" cooed Jenny. "Was it a bad dream?"

"No, but I'm sad…"

"About what?" I wanted to know.

"All I want is a daddy and a mama to be with since mine aren't doin' so hot. I just want lots of cuddles right now."

"That's completely understandable." I told her. "Auntie Jenny and I were just about to watch a movie, but how about all three of us watch something that you like while we cuddle together?"

"It's a school day tomorrow, though."

"If you fall asleep down here, that's perfectly okay, and I promise that we'll have you up and at 'em with plenty of time to spare in the morning."

Finally convinced, LJ snuggled up with Jenny as I spread a warm blanket over them while they decided what movie to watch.

* * *

It's going to take time for Jenny to heal and/or get back in the right frame of mind before she decides what she wants to do about the IVF situation.

However, one of the qualities that I admire about my wife is her sense of determination to see a personal goal all the way through.

Because of that, I know she's going to eventually give this whole thing one last try before considering defeat and telling Tillie and Jung that her body isn't strong enough to carry a baby to term for them.

I just pray that she doesn't get burned out first.


	63. Loved

_December 25, one week later _

_Suspended In Time Photography Studio, Kate's Point of View _

* * *

LJ came home the twenty-third, after five days with the Ryans. It was hard to be without her for so long, but her daily Skype calls and updates from Kevin and Jenny told us that she was having a blast. In the meantime, it was necessary for her to be gone for almost a week because it took the toddlers to get over their colds and my morning sickness was completely gone by that time, so that's one less thing to worry about.

Today is Christmas Day and the kids are beyond excited, especially LJ because this time last year, I was in the hospital for long-term bed rest. Taking that into consideration, I was even more delighted to watch the kids open their presents and stockings in front of the Christmas tree.

Everyone was happy with what they received, but Castle surprised me with an early present yesterday. While I was at my physical therapy appointment, Castle turned the room off the office into a fully functioning bedroom, seeing as we've been using it as a temporary one since my cast was put on. I had mentioned that it would be convenient to have a bedroom on the first floor, and it looks like he was listening.

As a surprise on my part, I gave him a piece of information that I'd learned during my doctor's appointment—the baby is a girl! Castle was deliriously happy and I could barely get him to agree to wait until later today to tell the rest of the family.

What's happening today? Family photography at Rafferty Shaw's photography studio.

As part of an eight year tradition, the Shaws and Serizawas have been getting together to spend Christmas Day together because their families are very close. One of the highlights of the tradition is going to the studio for family photography pictures since the two families have blended into one over the years. Because Jordan is my sister-in-law and Amaya is married to my dad, my own family has been invited to partake in the tradition from now on. A few other close families were also invited, and among them, only the Àlvarez family declined because they had a timeshare at Disney Land they were already planning to use. In any event, everyone is excited for the photo shoot, but none more so than Alexis and Ashley.

Not only is this their first Christmas with Abby, but they also have a new addition to their family in the form of three-week-old Natalie Joy Kerrigan. She was born at noon on December third, weighing six pounds and two ounces. Other than being diagnosed with Heterochromia iridium—multicolored eyes, in layman's terms—Natalie is already turning out to be a healthy and happy child. Today makes her first big family outing and I know for a fact that Alexis and Ashley are excited to have a special newborn photography session that Melissa and Flora will be overseeing later.

It's almost three o'clock in the afternoon and there hasn't been a single dull moment.

* * *

"Katie, are you in there?"

Snapping out of my reverie, I found myself looking at Amaya. She was looking excited about all of the activity, but also a little tired… but I don't blame her because she just gave birth to the surrogate baby she was carrying for the Singhs just two weeks before Alexis had Natalie. She's currently on maternity leave.

"Hey! What's up?"

"Will you go check on Jeffery? He's been in La La Land on his phone for a week." (She nodded to where my brother was perched on a couch, texting on his phone) "I would do it myself, but I need to relieve Jim of Keiko…"

"Yeah, I got it. You go ahead."

I rolled my chair over to my brother and parked myself in front of him, chuckling when he jumped.

"What's going on, little brother? Why are glued to your phone? It's almost time to start."

He blushed. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course."

Jeffery tapped a few icons on his phone screen before handing it over. "Kate, this is my girlfriend, Olivia Iphigenia Montri."

Her last name was intriguing, but I was thrown for a loop when I saw the young woman dressed in a rookie police uniform, leaning against a lamppost adjacent to a police station. (She's an officer?) Olivia is of Asian descent because of her light copper-colored skin, silky black hair and almond-shaped eyes, but I was willing to put money down that it was her dazzling smile that had had Jeffery at first glance.

"She's beautiful, Jeffery. Did you meet her at the Police Academy this year?"

"No, and that's another story for another time. Olivia and I were actually just assigned to the Sixteenth Precinct, where her namesake rules the roost."

I raised my eyebrows. "Your girlfriend was named after _Olivia Benson? _That woman is a legend!"

"She's actually Captain Olivia Stabler now, because she's finally married her one true love after almost twenty years of knowing him. _My _Olivia is thrilled to pieces to be working with her namesake, but at the moment, she's on a skiing vacation with her family in Colorado."

"That sounds like fun."

"The only bummer is that she broke her leg after wiping out on one of the harder slopes and is currently confined to a chair by the fire place in the ski lodge. We've been texting to help her pass the time."

Realizing I still had his phone, I sent a quick text before setting it aside."

"Wh-what did you just tell her?"

"That you're busy at a family event and will be back later."

"Livvie knows I have a big family, so she'll understand." Jeffery got to his feet and started pushing my wheelchair for me. "Come on, let's go!"

* * *

Everyone had a field day, doing the different photo shoots and after the main portion was done, Castle and I put a plan into action about how we were going to reveal the baby's gender.

"LJ, will you come over here a second?"

She came bounding over, her white tutu dress flouncing.

"Yes, mama?"

"Do you remember what happened the last time we were here and wearing all white?"

She thought hard because the event in question had happened when she was three, but she finally got it.

"There was fun music and we had finger paint to play with! Are we gonna do that again?"

"Daddy and I have a surprise to get ready first, but after that, we totally will!"

LJ squealed in delight.

"Easy, baby angel." Castle soothed her. "Since none of the little kids were born yet the last time we did this, why don't you explain it to them?"

Looking around, LJ saw that Jameson, Tobias, Abby, Jeremiah and Johanna were watching us with intense curiosity. LJ started herding them towards the couch as she explained how finger paint and photography goes together. When they were occupied and everyone else was helping themselves to the food on the buffet table, Rafferty got his cameras ready while I arranged my clothes to fully expose my baby bump.

Careful not to jostle my cast or trip over my crutches, Castle took some pink finger paint on his fingers and started spelling out a message on my belly. I think Little Bunny was feeling ticklish because she was squirming around more than she usually did whenever she feels her daddy's touch.

Rafferty had snapped a few candid shots while Castle had been painting the message, but he paused when I called my oldest child over.

"Alexis? I need you over here with LJ, Jamie, Jed and Joey!"

Curious, Alexis left Natalie, Tobias and Abby in Ashley's care and guided everyone back over to where we were. Aware that Rafferty was waiting for the precise moment, I framed the underside of my belly with my hands as Castle spoke to the kids.

"Alexis, will you read what that says on Kate's belly?"

"It says 'It's a girl'…"

Her voice died as she realized what she'd said and the look of pure joy on her face had my heart melting into a puddle of goo.

"We're getting another sister?"

"That's right, Sunshine." I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and looked at the others. "Are you lot happy?"

LJ spoke first. "Even though I've been sassy about Porcupine, I guess I can be happy that she's a girl."

"Thanks, Baby Bird."

She blushed and broke things down for the younger kids, all of whom had adorably blank expressions on their faces. We watched as the light of dawning comprehension hit them one by one and their squeals of delight made my heart go light. I was glad that Castle was letting me lean against him for support.

I'm not sure if the kids were all on the same wavelength on the next part or what, but in the next moment, my face and my belly were getting showered with lots of affectionate pats and kisses as the kids told he happy things before cooing sweeter and happier things to the baby.

My heart was completely overflowing with love, so in the spirit of things, I kept my bump exposed as I twisted around to look at Castle and he surprised me by kissing me full on the lips. I became so caught up in the moment that I was barely aware of the camera shutter clicking away as the rest of the occupants in the room cheered, clapped and whistled in approval.

The only though running through my head in that moment of overwhelming happiness and peace was quite a simple one.

I am loved.


	64. Krista Again

_January 7, two weeks later _

_Riley house, Krista's Point of View _

* * *

Jessica Rose Esposito.

Juliana Singh.

Amaya Beckett.

Alexis Kerrigan.

Melissa Queller.

Me.

What do all of us have in common? Babies.

Jessica gave birth to fraternal girl/boy twins in June, but Juliana gave birth in October, Amaya in November, and Alexis in December. Melissa is due a week from today, and I'm due the day after her on my forty-fourth birthday.

I'm excited beyond words to finally hold the precious baby girl who has been growing inside me for the past nine months, but I'm concerned about being an older parent. Gavin is also nervous because he's eleven years older than me, but he is very laid back and has been more focused on preparing for the baby's arrival.

However, the furniture that we ordered a month ago only just arrived the day before yesterday. Gavin got as far as moving all of the packages into the nursery before getting too preoccupied with a work-related issue.

That same day just so happened to be my last day of work before my maternity leave started. As a treat, Jordan took me out to lunch and I told her my worries about not being able to get everything ready in time. In response, she sent out an SOS text to our friends, asking if any of them would be able to help us out. Kate, Alexis, Jenny, Flora, Melissa, Jessica Rose, and even Nicolas Àlvarez and Kingston Queller all responded. I felt overwhelmed by the love, and so did Gavin. As my husband's way of saying thank you, he called ahead to my mother's bakery pub to place a catering order to make sure that everyone will have enough to eat.

I'm so thankful for my friends and family. I truly am.

There's another thing I'm thankful for: the baby is healthy and everything is developing right on schedule. Any decent mother prays for her baby to be healthy, but I've never had the best of luck with my own babies because out of the five I've given birth to, I've had to bury three. My current pregnancy is by far my happiest, easiest and healthiest.

That's a big blessing, right there because we're having company tomorrow night that I'm really looking forward to.

* * *

"So Dru was your partner before Jordan?" Gavin asked as we lay in bed together, trying to recover from a very satisfying go-around. "Why haven't she and her girlfriend and their daughter been over before?"

"Point of clarification, Gav—Dru was my partner, but before Jordan, it was Mason McFarland. We can talk about any of them except Mason."

"Right." He nodded, clearly remembering the hell that Mason had out us through. "Go on."

"Right after Dru was assigned to me, she was put on a long-term assignment that took longer than we thought it would. Solédad has been reclusive ever since, waiting for Dru to come home to her and Valerie."

"How long was Dru gone?"

"Eight years, just a little less than the time you and I have known each other. I really can't wait for you and the kids to meet them because Dru and Solédad are so much fun."

Gavin smiled at this. "Since she was your partner, were you two allowed to keep in contact?"

"Yes, an—ouch!"

I sat up and pulled back the blankets and pulled down the blankets, arching my back as the baby started kicking hard.

"Easy, Peanut; I know you're there, okay? I don't appreciate you kicking so hard because it's really uncomfortable…"  
My words trailed off into sighs of contentment as Gavin began peppering my neck with kisses before moving downward where he spread more kisses across my belly, gently massaging it all the while. I think the baby was feeling just as blissed out as I was because she continued to move, but in a very loving and gentle manner.

"How do you always get her to be so calm? She never seems to want to listen to _me!" _

Gavin kissed me on the forehead this time. "Don't pout too much, my darling. You'll get wrinkles."

"But I'm already starting to _get _wrinkles! That happens when you're on the wrong side of forty!"

"And you're still as gorgeous and sexy as you were on the day we met."

I had no good comeback for that because I knew he'd just deflect it with more compliments. Instead of trying to argue, I watched as he produced a toy from a basket on his bedside table. The toy turned out to be a stuffed angelfish.

"Is this for the baby?"

"Yeah; I figured that she's going to want a toy to keep her company in the hospital."

"That's very sweet. I'm sure she—"

"Mommy? Are you awake yet?"

I sighed as I was interrupted by another one of my children as she knocked on the closed bedroom door.

"Savannah, just give us a few minutes to look like humans! Why don't you ask Jake to make you some breakfast?"

Savannah agreed and could be heard hurrying away. I looked back at Gavin and smiled a little.

"As much as I want to spend the rest of the day in bed with you, there are still things we have to do."

"Like having our friends help us prepare for our blessed event."

"And you giving the promotion to Elijah Prince. That should make his day."

"He really deserves the promotion to head foreman, so I'm sure it will." Gavin kissed me again. "We need to stop stalling and get up now."

Realizing he was right, I worked on getting out of bed and getting ready for the day.

* * *

_An hour-and-a-half later _

* * *

We had the usual morning activity like we always do, but one thing that really touched me was that everybody took time to say goodbye to the baby and it made her kick hard because she always kicks hard when she hears people she knows well. As I stood on the front step, seeing everybody off and holding Tinkerbell the cat in my arms, Gavin surprised me by giving me a passionate kiss. Jacob and Savannah pretended to be grossed out, but the egged Gavin on by cheering.

When my family finally left, I went inside and showered before dressing in a blue tunic top and black yoga pants. Jordan arrived a little while later, loaded down with baked goods and ready to start a few baking projects in case any little kids were tagging along with their parents today. Almost everybody had arrived by the time Alexis and Kate arrived, and it became a team effort to get her up the front steps because we didn't want her to slip in the snow and break her ankle again. It was all made easier when Kingston with Miri and he gallantly offered to carry her up the stairs himself.

It wasn't until everybody was there and we were well into the swing of things that I noticed Melissa and Flora in the front hallway, looking at one of the many framed pictures on the wall.

Melissa looked like she had seen a ghost.

"What's going on, ladies?" I asked.

"How did you get this?" Melissa was pointing at the picture straight in front of her. "Why do you have a photograph of this man?"

"He's my late husband, Detective Zachary Valentine."

Much to my surprise, Melissa's eyes immediately began filling up with tears.

"And the last time you saw Zachary _alive _was on 9/11, right?"

I nodded cautiously, trying to put the pieces together. Imagine how perplexed I felt when Melissa turned to Flora and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Flora, this is him, the officer I told you the story about."

Something suddenly clicked in Flora's head because she became as emotional as Flora, but I managed to get back into the conversation.

"Wait a second—you two knew Zachary? How? You must have been really little!"

"To make a long story short," Melissa began explaining as she rested her hands in the small of her back to support her own hugely pregnant belly. "We were both at the towers when they came down, but we became separated. Zachary found me and we started to go back to look for Flora, but the dust cloud came down and we had to duck into a store to wait for it to at least settle."

"What happened when it did?"

"He carried me all the way to safety and saw to it that I was in good hands before… he died from dust inhalation. Krista, I owe him my life. When we were waiting for the dust to settle, Zachary gave me something to hold onto for safekeeping." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, feeling guilty. "I carry it with me as a reminder that if I was strong enough to survive that day, I can get through anything life throws at me. Out of respect to Zachary's memory and to the NYPD, I always keep it polished, but it's extra polished today because Flora and I were speaking at a survivor's meeting before we came over here."  
Melissa reached into her dress pocket, withdrew something small and deposited it into my hand. My heart skipped a beat when I saw what it was—Zachary's old police badge. It had never been recovered because Melissa has been holding onto for all these years.

"Thank you so much!" I hugged her as close as I could, which was not much because we're both nine months pregnant. "You have no idea how much this means to me!"

"You're welcome, Krista!"

I looked over at Flora, who had been watching the whole time, and when I held my arms out to her, she gladly accepted the hug.

After fifteen years, I can finally, _finally _put Zachary's death to rest.

* * *

Around lunchtime, Jordan picked up the catering order that Gavin had placed this morning, and I busied myself with distributing enough food for everyone, making sure my guests all had enough to eat and drink. Because it was free-for-all seating, there were some people eating in the dining room, but Kingston, Flora, Jordan and little Miri were all at the kitchen table, chowing down on lasagna, salad, and breadsticks. I was about to join them when my cell phone rang.

"This had better be good!" I mumbled as I turned back to the counter where I'd left it. "There ought to be a law about coming between a pregnant woman and her food!"

"The sooner you answer, the sooner you can join us!" Jordan called in a singsong voice.

"Yeah, whatever, you old bat!"

I finally reached the phone and smiled when I saw Gavin's picture on the caller ID as I answered.

"Hi, Gav! What's up?"

"Actually, this isn't Gavin." An unfamiliar accented voice told me. "It's Elijah Prince, one of his employees."  
"Elijah, why do you have my husband's phone?"

"Missus Riley, are you sitting down?

I leaned against the counter and repeated my question a little more firmly.

"Elijah, why do have my husband's phone?"

"Missus Riley, I'm so sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but Gavin had a heart attack twenty-five minutes ago. He's gone."

And just like that, my world stopped.


	65. Understanding

_Flora's Point of View _

* * *

The second I heard Krista say Elijah's name, my head snapped up out of instinct because her husband is Elijah's boss. Just this morning, Elijah told me that he had a meeting in Mister Riley's office.

Why did Elijah have his boss' phone?

I got my answer when Krista went ashen and gave a wail of despair before starting to fall. Kingston was on his feet first, rushing to catch her before she completely hit the floor. He helped her sit down and held her in his arms as she began to cry. Jordan was on her feet next, trying to soothe Krista so they could find out what was wrong. Even little Miri had gotten up from the table to survey the scene for herself.

It suddenly occurred to me that Elijah was still on the phone, so I pried the phone from Krista's hands and pried the phone from her hands, moving to the nearby spacious pantry to talk.

"Elijah, what's did you tell Krista?"

"Her husband had a heart attack in his office, Flora. I was the only witness."

"Oh, my God! How are you doing?"

"I don't even know. I just wish you were here."

My heart melted a little when I heard those words because I was wishing the same thing, especially because I was having flashbacks to the day Hikaru died.

"I wish the same thing, babe. Does anybody know about Mister Riley yet?"

"Yes. When the secretary called EMS, she also called Vice President Edwards. He's on the phone, calling everybody on their sites to inform them. I only had to come in for a bit, so I can leave now. Do you want me to come over there?"

"No, I want to stay with Krista." (I glanced in her direction and saw Kingston scooping her up in his arms as they all prepared to leave the room) "Could you please collect Francis from my Aunt Orla's daycare and take him so speech therapy for me?"

"Sure, dearest. What do you want me to tell him when he asks why you aren't there?"

"Tell him that I'll be home soon, but I have to take care of a friend first..."

I finally lost my composure and began crying over the phone.

"Elijah, I keep thinking about the last hours I had with Hikaru. I keep thinking about how much I told him I loved him, and how I promised to be strong for his mothers and Francis. That day was one of the hardest in my entire life!"

"It's okay to cry and grieve; you're always going to love Hikaru because he's the father of your child. He's always going to hold that special place in your heart."

"Doesn't this bother you, though, babe? Do you still want to be with me even though being a widow and the baggage that comes with it is part of who I am? You could have anybody else, even someone closer to your age!"

"It doesn't bother me in the least, because I'm taking you as you are baggage included." He spoke softly and calmly. "Age is just a number, and seven years is not too big a deal. You're the one I choose and I could _never _choose anyone else."

"Elijah, I love you."

Time suddenly stood still for both of us as the gravity of my words hit us both. In the past six months that we've been together, we've done everything except for saying those three words.

"I love you, too, Flora. So much."

We were quiet for a few moments until reality caught up with us, forcing us to say our goodbyes. I hung up first stayed put, replaying the conversation in my head.

_"There _you are, Flora."

I looked up and saw Jessica standing above me. She and I are acquaintances, even though my stepdad and her dad are work partners and our mothers are best friends. I want to be friends with her, but we have so many things that use up that time, specifically our duties to our families. Jessica even lives day-to-day with legal blindness, but here she was, balancing her youngest daughter on her hip and extending a hand to me. When I took it, she hauled me to my feet with surprising strength.

"You good, mija?"

"I am."

"Do you need anything?"

"No, but thanks."

Jessica gave me a scrutinizing look, so show her I was completely fine, I played with baby Destiny for a minute. When the baby gave a delighted giggle, Jessica relaxed and let me pass.

It was very quiet by the time I made it back to the living room and when I peeked in, I saw a room of shocked people, but no Krista, Kingston, Jordan or Miri. I started to go towards the front stairs, but mom caught up with me.

"Flora, where are you going?"

"Upstairs, to check on Krista."

"She's already got people up there. I don't think it would be a good idea if you went up, too."

"And why shouldn't I go?"

"Because she's grieving."

"Mama, that's exactly _why _I need to be upstairs with her!"

"Trust me, I understand when something horrible happens to your spouse—"

I couldn't help it as I felt my blood immediately boil because she _doesn't _ know, so I just let her have it.

"HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY _KNOW _THE _AGONY _THAT COMES WITH LOSING SOMEONE AS BELOVED AS THE FATHER OF YOUR CHILDREN? _I _UNDERSTAND BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE BECAUSE IN CASE YOU FORGOT, I WAS TWO MONTHS AWAY FROM HAVING FRANCIS WHEN _I _BECAME A WIDOW!"

Mom looked positively livid and hissed something at me in Gaelic that I didn't understand, so I brushed it off. In the room behind us, everybody was watching in shock. Nicolas Àlvarez—the only man in the room—was ready to intervene, just in case. By now, mom was firing back, but I cut her off because I just had to get my feelings into the open. I tore her to shreds.

"YOU'RE _LUCKY _BECAUSE YOUR HUSBAND IS FINE, BUT MINE ISN'T AND NETIHER IS KRISTA'S! RIGHT NOW, SHE'S UP THERE GRIEVING BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THE SAME THING I DO—THE PRECIOUS BABY INSIDE HER WILL NEVER KNOW ITS DADDY, JUST HOW FRANCIS WILL NEVER KNOW HIKARU! I KNOW THESE THINGS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WHERE KRISTA IS, AND YOUARE NOT A WIDOW,OKAY? YOU'RE JUST A _DIVORCEE!" _

Mom now looked completely humiliated and the look of deep shock on the faces of the other people told me that they had no idea that she's divorced from her first husband—my father—let alone that she had been in a relationship _that _serious before she met Kevin. As a result, she collapsed on the floor and started weeping like a child. I turned on my heel as the others came flocking to comfort her, and headed upstairs, search of Krista.

* * *

She was in the master bedroom, no longer crying but sitting on the bed and leaning against Kingston for support. Tinkerbell the cat was curled up on what was left of her mistress' lap and purring loudly as Miri scratched her behind the ears, leaning across Krista's massive baby bump to reach better. Jordan, meanwhile, was a few feet away, talking on her phone and not paying much attention. When Krista saw me approaching, she was wary.

"Flora, we all heard you yelling at Jenny." She was no longer crying, but she spoke hoarsely.

I blushed but said nothing.

"What possessed you to yell at her?"

"She tried to stop me from coming up here."

"Why?"

"I think she forgot for a minute that I'm a widow."

"But you're so young…"

"I was a teenager when it happened, but I was happilymarried to Francis' father."

"What happened?"

"Hikaru passed away from cancer and at the time, I had just hit the seven month mark in my pregnancy with Francis."

Now Krista was pulling away from Kingston so she could massage her big belly and track the baby's movements.

"That means you understand…"

"More than most people know."

Tears fell anew down Krista's face and Kingston took this as a cue leave with Miri, but when he tried to get her to come with him, she made an angry hissing noise like a feral cat. I did an on-location photography session with her and Kingston a little while after they moved here and learned that way about her autism and preference of not speaking, but this was the first time I've ever heard any noise from her at all.

"NO!"

"Don't be sassy with me today." He warned her.

"NO GO!"

"Miracle, I mean it."

The three-year-old relented at the use of her full name and rose to her knees to gently caress Krista's hair and push it out of her face, another surprising move because Miri shies away from physical contact. Krista seemed to know this and spoke gently to her.

"What's up, baby girl?"

She spoke very clearly. "Pain goes away."

Krista's bottom lip trembled and she managed to give Miri a sad smile before losing her composure all over again. When the Quellers finally vacated the room, I sat next to Krista and just held her. Jordan finally got off the phone and told her something in Gaelic before turning to me and speaking in English.

"Do you know of Krista's kids, Jacob and Savannah?"

"Yes."

"I just called Jacob to tell him the news, but now I'm worried that he might do something dumb so I need to find him and then pick up Savannah from school because she'll be expecting someone to get her since she doesn't ride the bus."

"What would you like me to do?"

"Stay with Krista and give her anything she wants; accompany her to the morgue if she gets that call."

I looked at Krista. "You don't want to be alone?"

"Especially if I have to go to the morgue, but… I don't want to keep you from your boy."

"He's in good hands right now, so I'm yours for as long as you need."

She just nodded and stretched out on the bed, resting her head in my lap and nodding in acknowledgement as Jordan left. My friend took a drink of water from a cup of water on her night stand and then lay down with her head in my lap again.

All I could do was just stroke her hair and wipe her tears because I had nothing to say. It's not that I didn't want to; it wasn't because I didn't have to.

I understand Krista's pain completely.

I don't care if she's old enough to be my mom; I'm going to stick with her until she says otherwise.

It's unfortunate that we're being brought together because of a death, but at least she knows I have her back.


	66. In Which Flora Apologizes

**This is the last Flora/Elijah chapter; we're nearing the end!**

* * *

_Later that night_

* * *

I stayed with Krista and drove her to the morgue when she was asked to identify her husband's body for confirmation. By the time I brought her back to her house, Jordan was back with Savannah and Jacob, the latter of whom was curled up the couch, crying his eyes out. (I was relieved to see that his girlfriend Sonali had tagged along to keep him company) Krista's mother Shayna arrived at the same time as us and dropped everything she was carrying to catch a teary-eyed Savannah when she came running for a hug. I managed to see that Krista had something to eat before Shayna assured me that she'd be able to manage things, therefore relinquishing me from my duties of watching over her daughter.

When I got home, I was immediately greeted by Elijah and Francis, both of whom gave me lots of hugs and kisses in an effort to lighten my gloomy mood. It worked and my mood was further lightened when Elijah told me that he'd spent the whole day cleaning the house and making dinner for me, so I wouldn't have to worry about doing those things myself. We were all able to sit down to dinner together, like a family.

We ended up having a quiet night because both of my boys could tell that I needed it, and by eight o'clock, we were all stretched out on my bed, just reading.

Francis was perched on my legs as he looked through a special book that Hikaru and I had made when I first found out I was pregnant. We finished it a few weeks before he died, and I've been looking at it with Francis ever since he was old enough to sit up in my lap. Tonight Francis kept sighing and rubbing his eyes, like he was trying not to cry.

Elijah lifted Francis off me and onto his lap so they'd be able to talk.

* * *

"What are you looking at, little buddy?"

"Pisher book, Wisha."

Francis had the book to a picture of Hikaru and me at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The trip happened during the week of our wedding anniversary, so as a surprise, Hikaru had taken me out for a night out on the town, ending with a bit of dancing at twilight by the tower when we spotted a small band of street performers playing. I was just starting to show at the time, and we didn't about Hikaru's cancer yet.

"Who's in the picture." Elijah asked. "Will you show me?"

He pointed to me in the picture. "Tha's mama! Wuv!"

"Do you know where you are in the picture?"

Francis pointed to my baby bump before turning to me and giving my stomach a tap.

"Sis? Bo?"

"No babies in there."

He sighed in defeat and leaned against Elijah again.

"Who's left?" Elijah prompted.

"Daddy Hee-ku!" Francis touched the image of his father. "He a…anshell!"

"You look just like him, you know."

Francis puffed up his chest in pride because it was true—with his paler skin, oval-shaped face and almond shaped eyes, he was practically the spitting image of his father, straight down to the floppy black hair and crooked grin. One of the few outward physical features he's inherited from me are his dark blue eyes.

"Wuv Daddy Hee-ku! Wuv, wuv, wuv!"

"And I'm sure he's watching over you and mama right now."

"An' you." Francis added, giving Elijah's hand a squeeze. "Wuv, wuv, wuv!"

"I love you, too!"

My son suddenly got a particular look on his face that told me he was thinking hard about something. Depositing the book in my lap, he sat on Elijah's lap, facing him and looking very serious.

"Wisha, h-haffa k-kessin!"

"What question?"

"Wuv mama?"

"I love her for always, Francis."

I watched in fascination as Francis did everything to maintain his composure and remain serious.

"C-caw you daddy? P'ease?"

Elijah gasped in surprise and immediately hugged Francis close, crying tears of quiet joy.

"Of course you may; I'd love that so much!"

"Wuv, wuv, wuv!" Francis burrowed against Elijah. "Wuv m…my Daddy Wisha!"

My boys shared a special hug and the sight reduced to me to a puddle, so Francis reached over and wiped my happy tears this time.

"Wisha fami'y now, mama!"

I kissed him on the forehead and hugged him. "Yes, my little prince, he is!"

* * *

_Next morning, 7:45 AM_

* * *

As happy as I was to allow myself the freedom of considering Elijah my family now, I still haven't forgotten how horrible I was to mom and because of that, I got up extra early to buy her a flower bouquet. I get up early as it is, but I'm making an extra effort today because not only does mom leave her house early to get to her teaching job on time, but she also has my three younger siblings to take care of.

I was hoping to catch her before she left, and I was expecting her or Kevin to answer the door. I didn't expect to see my mother's mother, no sir.

"Nana Megan, what are you doing here?"

She raised her eyebrows at me. "I'm here because Jennifer spent most of yesterday sobbing her eyes out! Did you know that she cried herself into exhaustion?"

I shook my head, feeling nauseas and also cold from standing on the front step.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I'm incredibly sorry for all the misery I've caused, and I would do _anything _to let her know." (I held up the flower bouquet) "Look, Nana! I even got her lilies!"

She caved immediately at the sight of my tears and let me inside, pulling me for a hug and soothing me as I cried. When I was calmer, I was instructed to wash my face while she filled a vase with water and stuck the lilies in. She didn't give me the vase until she was sure I was feeling better.

"There you go, Flora."

"Thanks, nana. Is mama upstairs, getting ready for school?"

"She's awake, but staying home because she's just too sad. I think she's working the pregnancy hormones out of her body. It takes the body a long time to get rid of them after any miscarriage."

"Ugh. Thanks for putting me on a guilt trip."

"I'll forgive you when she does, but for now, I'm saying that you're getting what you deserve."

I winced and looked around. "Where are Kevin, Allie, Tommy and Ellie?"

"Kevin left for work shortly before you arrived, but your sisters and brother are with your mother."

I found them all in the master bedroom on the bed and dressed in their pajamas. Mom was under the covers and propped up against the pillows while the little kids crowded around her in a semicircle, pointing out different images on the pages of a picture dictionary mom was holding open for them.

Alyssa saw me first and blew kisses. "Hi-hi, sissy! Hi!"

I was given similar greetings from Thomas and Elliana, but mom became frosty as I approached and sat the flowers on her table.

"You have a lot of nerve, coming here."

"And I've never been more sorry than I am right this minute. You struck a nerve, and I reacted."

"When did you learn to become so angry?"

"Many things change when you're away for fifteen years and stuck into an overcrowded group home. You learn the true meaning of 'survival of the fittest,' even if it means becoming a bully."

"You're saying that when you're forced to toughen up like that on the fly, you hold everything close, especially relationships?"

I nodded. "By the time I met Hikaru, he pulled me up from rock bottom and helped me to stay strong. After the tsunami, we came inseparable and fell in love. Our bond became so strong that we couldn't put it into words, and three years later, I still can't. Our marriage was very happy but way too short, so I can't begin to tell you the agony I felt in my heart when Francis was kicking inside me as his father slipped away in my arms."

Mom paused for a second, thinking. "Do you remember your father?"

"Only that his name is Dexter."

"We were together for eight-and-a-half years, loving each other and loving you before things went south. Up until that point, we had that kind of bond that you and Hikaru had."

"What happened?"

"So many things, but our bond was also quite strong and by the time the divorce happened, it was more of a war than anything else. Because of that, I felt completely traumatized by the end as if he _had _died because he saved me while I did awful things… at least for awhile."  
"You sound like you were misguided."

"Because I was and I became a wayward soul, to boot, setting up camp at rock bottom and staying there after you were gone."

"Is that around the time you met Kevin?"

"Yes, and neither one of us would have made it this far in life without the other, but that's another story for another time."

"Then I guess you understand a little of what happened to me."

That was an admission, so mom nodded.

"Not entirely because neither Dexter nor Kevin are dead, but I still understand why you let me have it yesterday. I'm sorry I made you upset."

"And I'm sorry for everything I said."

She finally let me sit on the bed and I cuddled up with her.

"Flora Lily Callaghan Endo, I love you so much not only because you're my firstborn, but also because I only had you for a short while and then missed you like crazy over those fifteen years."

"Did you look for me?"

"Every single day, baby girl, but New York City is a big place." She tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "I only had you for eight years and never got to tell you just how _much _I love you, adore you and treasure you during the time we _did _have together."

"But you got married and had three more kids."

"I did, but I never stopped loving you, so don't think any of that means I love you any less than Alyssa, Thomas and Elliana, all right?"

"Okay."

"I realize that you had a harder life than I did at that particular stage, but those experiences have shaped you into an incredible young woman and I'm incredibly proud of you for surviving it." She put an arm around my shoulder. "And you know what? I forgive you for everything you said yesterday."

"Thank you," I breathed a sigh of relief. "And I forgive you for striking a sore spot because it was an accident, anyway."

"Thank _you."_

Mom stopped for a few moments to look at the flowers on the bedside table. "Those lilies are lovely! Did Nana Megan tell you they're my favorites?"

"Actually, I remembered all by myself." I told her proudly.

"That's a good memory, kid. Can you stay for awhile, or do you have to get back to Francis?"

"He's back at the house with Elijah, and they should both be sleeping, still."

"Really?" she asked mischievously.

"Yes, really." I gave her a hug and then kissed each of my siblings as I got up. "How about we continue our 'grown-up conversation' at dinner tonight? It'll be my treat."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"All right." She smiled. "That sounds like fun; call me when you get off work!"

Promising I would, I gave her and my siblings one more round of hugs, feeling way better than I did yesterday.


	67. Weirdest Birthday Ever

_One week later, January 14 _

_Krista's Point of View _

* * *

It's been a week since Gavin died, and three days since his funeral. I honestly have no idea how I've even made if this far, especially considering how Jacob and Savannah are doing.

Jacob has been nothing but angry because he barely remembers his biological dad who died when he was three. We met Gavin nine years ago, and the two of them had more of a 'best friends' relationship. As a result, Jacob is reeling the way one does when they lose a best friend and has resorted to being angry and spending a lot of time at the YMCA, making good use of the punching bags. His girlfriend, Sonali has been keeping him company and taking care of him since the day we got the news. Neither of them wants to be away from the other.

Savannah is doing worse because Gavin was her biological father, and she adored him. My mother broke the news and Savannah cried for so long that she had to be hospitalized for dehydration. For a day-and-a-half, she threw up everything she ate or drank whenever she remembered what happened. The first person who could calm her down enough to eat was her best friend, Inga Thiessen. Even on the day of the funeral, they travelled in a pair.

Savannah and Inga are only seven, but their strong loyalty to each other is a reminder that even when your whole world burns ashes, there can still be something beautiful that rises up in the end.

Speaking of something beautiful, every time I feel the baby press up against my palms, I remember that she wouldn't survive if I decide to lie down and call it quits. I have to keep going because she needs me as much as Jacob and Savannah do.

* * *

Today is my forty-fourth birthday, as well as my due date, but I don't want to spend the rest of the day at the house; I need to get out. My mother fixed my problem by inviting the kids and me over to her bakery for a baking day.

Seán and Céline—my two older siblings—along with Dru and her girlfriend Solédad, and Jordan and Rafferty are also coming and bringing their families. Calvin and Melissa would've come if they could, but they have a brand new six-hour-old daughter to take care of. Even Sonali and Inga are coming.

At least I know I'm loved.

* * *

Something was a little different when we entered the bakery, and I realized what it was right away—my usually loud and bubbly mother was at a table by the window, completely silent and shocked to the core. The people at the table with her were strangers, yet at the same time, they weren't.

Savannah decided to be brave and sidled up to the woman sitting next to my mother and gave her a dazzling smile.

"Hi! I'm Savannah Isles Benson Riley, I'm seven years old and my parents picked my middles extra special 'cause they're the last names of a medical examiner from Boston and also a super cool captain of detectives from here! What's _your _name?"

The woman spoke with a lilting Italian accent. "My name is Juliet Fortunato, and I just moved here from Italy!"

"Wow!"

"And if I may say so, Savannah Isles Benson Riley, you are very pretty!"

"So are you!" Savannah studied her further. "Juliet, you look just like mommy will when she's older!"

What with the same olive-skinned complexion, rounded face, long nose, long curly chestnut-colored hair and hazel eyes, I was looking at myself in about twenty years' time. I saw traces of myself in the man beside her, meaning only one thing—these two strangers are my biological parents.

"Savannah Isles Benson Riley," I spoke authoritatively. "It's time for you to vacate the room!"

"But I don't want to!"

"Bounce!" I pointed towards the kitchen. "Now!"

"No! I want to stay with Juliet!"

"Bounce!"

"NO!"

Jacob intervened and scooped Savannah off her feet, carrying her to the kitchen. Although confused, Sonali, Inga, Justice, Jubilation, Dru's girlfriend's daughter Valerie, and my nieces and nephews followed without question. Dru's girlfriend Solédad, along with Céline's wife Amy, Seán's husband Rex, and even Rafferty Shaw brought up the rear. Only Seán, Céline, Jordan and Dru stayed behind and pulled up chairs to the table as I eased myself into the nearest one.

"You're so grown up." Juliet breathed in a hushed tone. "You look so beautiful, Jupiter!"

"Excuse me?"

"That's the name we gave you when you were born. Your name was Jupiter Athena Fortunato."

"It's _Krista _now because Jupiter and Athena are my middle names!"

Juliet's husband—my father—spoke with an accent identical to his wife's. "Krista, we really wanted to keep you."

"Then why didn't you come back, and what is _your _name?""

"Romeo, and we couldn't come back because of Cash Warner, because we knew he was very dangerous."

"You two were in his inner circle before he became 'The Dragon'?"

Watching them nod in tandem was making this way too real, way too quickly.

"We were lawyers who all worked on the same floor, at the same firm. Everything was okay at first, but then he started accepting payments from clients that were way bigger than what they were supposed to pay."

"Was he blackmailing them?"

Juliet nodded. "Warner was helping to clear everybody he represented, but he was using whatever it was they were in trouble for against them to demand more money, and it wasn't like they couldn't afford it."

Despite my anger and how fast things were going, I kept talking. "Then what happened that made you two leave me in the back door of a bakery in bloody _January _when I wasn't even a whole day old?"

"We caught onto what he was doing, and called him out on it. We were young scared and not thinking straight, but we felt that you would be safe at a wholesome place like this this one. He threatened us many time, and the last time he did, I was pregnant with you and extremely close to my due date."

"Did anybody else figure out what Warner was doing?"

"Some of our friends, Lucy and Elijah Queller, Johanna Beckett—"

"Stop!" I interrupted. "We do not speak those names because we know their children and everything they've suffered. Their actions robbed my friends of spouses, multiple kidnappings and even led to one of my younger acquaintances getting savagely attacked while her parents were being murdered right by her! We especially don't talk about Johanna because she was their leader!"

(But I wouldn't change my friendship with Kate Beckett for anything)

"All I was going to say was that your father and I were the lucky ones. Warner stopped at nothing to get to the rest of them because he couldn't find us, Krista. We were supposed to be the only ones who died, but because he couldn't find us, Elijah's, Lucy's and Johanna's murders are on us! Their children could all kill us on the spot!"

I was thrown for a loop by this and changed gears. "Why did you let my entire lifetime go by before coming back? What the hell were you waiting for?"

"Warner's death or arrest, whichever came first!"

"Hello! He was assassinated in _October, _and it's _January!" _

"It took us this long to pack up our house in Italy and sell it!"

Fighting the impulse to throw something at the window, I turned to my adoptive mother.

"Why did you even let them in, ma?"

"They described everything you were wearing on the day they left you here, straight down to the blanket you were wrapped up in… and they're your parents."

_"You _are my mother, and da was my father, even if I only knew him for three years! Romeo and Juliet do not deserve to waltz back into my life, like everything is okay!"

I let out a sudden sharp gasp and massaged my belly as the baby suddenly gave me an extra hard kick for no apparent reason. Once I reassured everybody that it wasn't a contraction, Juliet spoke in a neutral tone.

"I know all of this is hard to accept, but maybe with time, we can all get along."

_"You _do not get to tell _me _about how hard life is!"

I got to my feet and started pacing back to soothe the baby as she kicked and arched her back.

"Where were you when I was three and had god-awful chicken pox at the same time I learn that my father has been killed in the line of duty? Where were you when Jacob and Savannah almost _died _inside me because they both got sick with the same thing, even though they're ten years apart?"

Romeo and Juliet said nothing because they were so shocked.

"Sixteen years ago, I gave birth to a baby girl, but we didn't know until too late that she was going to be born asleep! Fifteen years ago, that precious baby's brother had just turned _one _when and was in the wrong place at the wrong time on 9/11 with his nanny and suffocated to death on the dust cloud! _Two _years ago, I was five months pregnant with another boy, but then my FBI partner was drunk off his ass after a bad case and came after me with a knife, okay? Mason pushed me hard enough that I fell the wrong way and the baby died inside me, so the doctors had to _abort _him!"

Romeo's and Juliet's mouths were hanging open in shock.

"Where you during Jacob's birth or Savannah's birth, and they were born healthy? In freaking _Italy! _Did you know I've been married twice now, and I didn't have a proper father figure to walk to me down the aisle?"

Now Romeo looked ashamed of himself.

"My adoptive mother has been here for all of it, and so have my brother Seán and my sister Céline!" I pointed out each person as I spoke. "Dru has been here for the most recent bit, but Jordan has stuck by me through all of it because she's been watching over me for my entire life! She and Dru are as good as siblings, especially after what happened last week!"

"What happened last week?" Romeo asked.

"I became a _widow _for the second time, and I have _no _idea how I'm going to tell my daughter that her daddy died a week before they had a chance to meet! I've never felt more broken down than I do right now, but now you show up out of the blue and want to get to know me? Uh-uh, I don't think so! I'm not ready for any kind of relationship with either of you, so don't even try! I won't stop you from coming to bake so you can get to know Jake and Savvy because I'm not that heartless, but do _not _touch me or talk to me!"

I left the room with Seán, Céline, Jordan and Dru following, acting as a guard as they tried to shield me from a sight I already knew was there—three parents, all having me in common but crying over my harsh words.

This has officially been my weirdest birthday.

Ever.


	68. Beatrix

**This is the second to last chapter!**

* * *

I wasn't overly hostile to Romeo and Juliet as we carried on with baking, mostly because as much focus as I was putting into showing the kids how to make apple pie, I couldn't put my full focus into it because the baby wouldn't stop kicking or punching me. After I put the semi-completed pie to the side, I sat down in a chair to take a few deep breaths. Mom and Jordan both zeroed in on me right away with Juliet keeping an eye on us from nearby as she worked on her own baking project.

* * *

"Here you go." Jordan pressed a cup of water into my hands. "Take a few sips."

When I was done, my eyes filled with tears as the gravity of the situation finally hit me.

"The baby is really coming! I haven't had any more Braxton-Hicks contractions since the funeral, but at the rate she's going, I'm half expecting her to come today. It's not supposed to be like this, and now I'm going to be alone in the delivery room…"

"No, you won't." Jordan told me. "What kind of friend would I be if I let you do that alone?"

I looked up at her, deeply touched. "You'd stay with me?"

"Of course I would, Krista. You've been my best friend for decades and I'd do anything for you."

Mom gave my knees a gentle pat. "I always knew that you two would be close and that that way."

"Jordan and I have saved each other's hides on more than one occasion, so I'm not surprised she'd offer to do something like this…"

My words ended in a hiss of pain as I felt a contraction ripple through my lower abdomen. It was strong enough for me to drop my cup in surprise and when it hit the floor, it shattered. In an attempt to be useful, Juliet cleaned up the mess as Jordan helped me to my feet. I headed out into the dining room with mom and Jordan tagging along.

"Do you two remember Elijah Prince?" I asked at one point.

"He's Flora's boyfriend." Jordan recalled.

"He also works at Gavin's construction company, and he was there when it happened because he was being promoted." I wiped some tears as they fell. "At the wake, Elijah told me something about what Gavin was doing in the last few moments."

"Oh?"

"Apparently, Gavin had had an 'aha!' moment about a name for the baby, and was in the middle of texting me about it. The message wasn't sent, but Gavin got so excited that he told Elijah."

"What's the name?" Mom asked gently.

"Beatrix, probably because he remembered that my favorite children's author is Beatrix Potter. Ow!"

My daughter gave an extra large kick, coinciding with another contraction. It hurt way more than the previous one and actually made my knees fold under me. I was caught and lowered to the floor by mom and Jordan, where they held and soothed me until the pain passed. Immediately after, a wave of overwhelming grief washed over me as I began to weep for my husband.

I have a baby coming, and all I can do is cry. Let's just pray that I don't cry myself into exhaustion before I have to start pushing her out.

I'm so tired already…

* * *

"Krista, come on." Jordan wheeled me after ten minutes. "You need to get up!"

I shook my head and crossed my arms over my belly. "No, and what's the point? I still haven't thought of how to tell the baby that she's only going to have one parent to raise her! I'm not moving until I think of what to say!"

"Even if you end up giving birth here?"

"Even then."

"Krista Jupiter Athena Riley," came a new voice. "You will do no such thing!"

Turning, I saw mom coming back into the room after having left for a minute.

"I was just talking to Juliet about when she was in labor with you."

"And?"

"And she said that from the time she started feeling contractions until she was pushing you out, it was a little less than four hours. I'm only pointing out that it would a wise idea to stretch your legs out because you've been in labor for close to an hour now!"

She had a point, so I didn't protest and let her help me up so I could return to the kitchen to bake. I continued for almost two more hours, despite the mounting pain in my body. However, was a point when both of my mothers put their feet down.

"Come on, luv, you can barely move!" Mom was saying. "Every time I turn around, you're hunched over in pain!"

Juliet tacked on her two cents worth. "Jupiter, this is what happened when I was in labor with you, and I didn't even make it to the hospital because I was being more stubborn than you are now!"

"Thanks, _Juliet, _that's _very_ encouraging." My voice was dripping with sarcasm. "And for the love of God, if you want me to like you, call me by my _proper_ name!"

I let out another groan, and it was followed by a fresh round of tears. All I could do was breathe through the pain until it passed again. As I straightened up, I felt a cold gush of water between my legs and had only one thought.

_Show time!_

The next thirty minutes passed in a blur, but I made sure that Jacob and Savannah knew what was going on. Emily Ryan met us in the delivery room because she was going to be overseeing the delivery and just as she asked me if I was ready, I started crying my eyes out.

"I miss Gavin! He should here; he was perfectly healthy! Ow, ow, ow!"

I yelled through another contraction, immediately regretting my choice of a drug-free labor. (I also cursed something filthy when I realized it was too late to change my mind) Jordan let me squeeze her hand as hard as I had to and then she helped Emily lay me down on the bed.

"I know you do, and so do I," my friend quickly did my hair into a messy bun. "But right now, I think he's been smiling down on you because to him, you were the bravest and strongest person he'd ever met."

"What if something happens to the baby?"

"Then I'll help you out because I'm not going to let you go through any more sadness alone."

Emily stepped in after hooking me up to an IV and a few monitors. Once she instructed Jordan to sit behind me so I'd have someone to lean against, she turned her attention to me.

"Krista, I need you to be ready to push on the next contraction because your contractions are right on top of each other now!"

She glanced at the monitor, watching it.

"Three, two, one, PUSH!"

I held onto Jordan's hands and bore down for close to a minute before Emily told me to take a little breather.

"Good job!" She praised. "You're doing great!"

I nodded and blew out a breath, steeling myself for the next round.

"Are you ready?"

"Yep!"

"Three, two, one, PUSH!"

* * *

The labor ended up lasting for three-and-a-half hours because the baby decided to be ridiculously stubborn. It went without saying that my body was very sore all over, but it was worth it because the baby was finally here! She was content as she could be for a newborn, curled up against my chest, but she grew more content when she cuddled up to up to her new angelfish toy when I placed it next to her. My daughter clearly loved it, but since it had been a gift from Gavin, my heart turned to mush because it felt like a sign that Gavin was watching over us.

"You're a precious one, aren't you, my tiny love?" Touching my forehead to hers, I inhaled her newborn scent, hoping it would give me courage to tell her the next part. "Your daddy was called away to be an angel with some of your other siblings I'll tell you about one day. All you need to know is that he loved you so much and talked to you every night just so you could know the sound of his voice. He also kissed my belly when you were in there because he would always tell me that it would be practice for being able to kiss your tiny fingers and toes."

Because she started fussing at me, I laid her back on my bare chest and pulled her blanket back over her. She quieted immediately but waved one of her beige-skinned hands at me, flexing her her joints. I caught it and kissed her fingers, turning to mush all over again when she held on as tight as she could. There was no way I was going to be able to keep my tears from coming, so I just let them fall as I continued to kiss her and cuddle her.

"Mommy loves you, baby girl. Mommy loves you so much."

The baby yawned hugely and blinked her green eyes at me.

"I guess you'd like to know your name, huh?"

She yawned again, so I took that as a yes.

"Your name is Beatrix, like after my favorite children's author. Daddy picked that name out for you, extra special. We were going to have your middle name be Grace, but I think daddy would be alright with me making a last minute change. Your new middle name is going to be Gavin, because that was your daddy's name, and I think it would be nice for to honor his memory."

She cooed contently.

"Your full name, darling child, is Beatrix Gavin Riley."

Beatrix began sucking on her thumb, and it was then that I had to force myself to look away from her because I'd heard somebody knocking on my door. All three of my parents were standing there, looking excited and hopeful, but none moreso than Jacob and Savannah, who only had eyes for me and their new sibling.

My older children sidled over, with Jacob giving Savannah a boost up so she could sit next to me.

"Oh, mommy," Savannah's voice was one of revered awe as she gave me a peck on the cheek. "My baby sister is really, really beautiful. I'm so glad she's alive and healthy, but you know what?"

"Do tell."

"You did a good job making sure she was born perfectly, and I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Savvy."

"I'm also proud of you." Jacob added, delicately adjusting the knit cap on his littlest sister's head of brown hair. "What's the baby's name?"

"Her name is Beatrix."


	69. Be Okay

**This is the last chapter!**

* * *

_February 28, six weeks later_

_Kate's Point of View_

* * *

I'm getting the cast off my leg today, and I'm very excited. I had to keep it on for an extra week because because that means I'm one step closer to walking independently. However, there are two things that have me feeling a little blue: although the cast is being removed, the physical therapy is by no means over because going into it, I was warned that it could all take up to a year. I'll still be doing therapy after the baby comes.

The second thing is that Rick can't be with me because he has a non-negotiable meeting at Black Pawn at the same time as my appointment. He took Johanna with him, which is great because and that's a great help because she gets a thrill out of winding up Jameson and Jeremiah.

I'm not all alone because Ashley happily volunteered to take me to my appointment, keep and eye on the Jameson and Jeremiah, and then hang out at the loft until Castle comes home. Alexis would've come, but she was having a day out with her kids that included playgroup at Gymboree, and everyone else was busy, but my son-in-law agreed without hesitation. Jameson and Jeremiah were thrilled by this because they adore Ashley and will do whatever he says.

* * *

"Come on, you two gooberheads, let's cheer your mama on, huh?" (Ashley was kneeling on the floor, corralling both toddlers) "She already has the cast off, so now we're going to see how she does with walking!"

Jameson made his way over to the parallel bars I was holding onto and gave my leg a pat.

"Go, mama, go! Go, go, go!"

Deeply encouraged, I started inching forward with Doctor Iris Ravensdale on one side of me, spotting me, and my older son on the other, cheering his little heart out. The length that I had to walk was ten feet, a little bit longer than what I'd done during my appointment yesterday, so it came as no surprise when I had to stop halfway through and sit on the floor.

"S'okay, mama!" Jameson cooed, giving me a hug as I started to cry in frustration. "Love you!"

Not wanting to be left out, little Jeremiah scuttled over and gave me a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"Love!"

I hugged both of my boys close, kissing them back, but then I giggled when the baby gave a huge kick that made Jeremiah topple over while he was leaning against me. He's more sensitive than his brother, so I was ready to comfort him, but he giggled more than I had and gave my belly a rub.

"Love sissy!" the one-year-old continued to shower his unborn sibling with unconditional affection. "Love, love, love!"

I grinned at him. "Thanks, Jed. I feel better now."

He trilled happily and stepped aside to make room for Iris, who was crouching next to me.

"Are you ready to try walking to the end of the bars?"

"I am."

She pulled me back up and made sure my hands were secure on the bars before she let me continue and didn't discourage my sons from walking alongside me to cheer me on. When I got to the end, I was tired, but I eased myself into my wheelchair as Ashley held it steady. I watched as Iris made a few notes on her clipboard before turning to me.

"You did great today, Kate! Remember it's going to be awhile before you gain full mobility in your foot again, so a positive attitude is key, especially since your baby seems to be extra active during these appointments."

"Hopefully a more positive attitude that will make her less of a fussbudget!"

I held a palm flat against the spot where I could feel my daughter moving around, but I kept it there for one second too long because she conveyed her annoyance by punching me a few times.

"Or she'll be the one who matches my stubbornness."

Iris gave a shrug. "We're done for this week, so you're free to leave."

I tried not to sound too cheerful. "I'll see you next time!"

* * *

_One hour later_

* * *

When we got home, I went straight to the master bathroom for a shower and a fresh change of clothes, trusting Ashley to take care of Jameson and Jeremiah. On my way out, I passed through the office where a box on a shelf caught my eye. Luckily, it was at wheelchair height, so I put it on my lap and rolled out to the living room to find the boys.

Jameson and Jeremiah were building block towers with Ashley, but they abandoned the activity when they saw the big black box on my lap.

"Wassat, mama?" Jameson wanted to know.

"It's my box of magic tricks." I informed him as I stuffed my long sleeves with all sorts of knick knacks. "Did you know mama knows how to do cool tricks?"

"No…"

"Then you and your brother should prepare to be amazed."

The first trick involved me faking a huge sneeze that made a full stack of playing cards fall from my sleeve at the same time. To my sons, it looked like I'd made them appear by sneezing.

I performed trick after trick and for the last one, I moved onto the floor so we'd all be at same level.

"Jamie, Jed, are you two watching?"

"You betcha!"

"Yep!"

"Check this out!"

In one fluid motion, I pulled two paper flower bouquets from one of my sleeves and handed one to each of them. The toddlers were reduced to giggles and examined their flowers while I packed my things away and read a new text from Castle.

_'Just got out of the meeting; nothing to write home about. How did your PT appointment go? Oh, and do you need me to stop by the grocery store, or will Joey and I be seeing you soon?'_

I replied quickly. _'Appointment went great; I walked ten feet on the parallel bars! :D the fridge is fully stocked, just waiting for you to cook everything later.'_

_'Is Ashley still there? What about everyone else?'_

_'Yes, and the others will be along eventually. Hurry up and come home so I can hold Joey!'_

A full minute passed before he responded. _'Leaving me in the dust? Uncool.'_

_'I'm imagining that I'm tweaking your ear.'_

_'Touché, my love. Joey and I are in the car no_w.'

I grinned and stowed my phone. Yesterday was Ashley's birthday, but we're having the party today since everyone was too busy yesterday. The guests include his wife and kids; his parents, Molly and Seamus; the Shaws; all of the Ryans; the Espositos; Calvin, Melissa, and baby Kitty; Jessica and Yoshi; Flora and her family; the Singhs; the Àlvarezs; my parents; and of course, Martha and Serenity.

"Hey, Ashley! Are you excited for tonight?"

He looked up from the book he was reading to the boys and grinned.

"Most definitely!"

* * *

_An hour-and-a-half later_

* * *

I became uncomfortable because of how much the baby was moving, so I retreated to the bedroom for a few minutes. Castle joined me quickly.

"What's the matter, Kate?"

I pulled back my shirt and ran a hand over my seven-month belly. "She kicks harder than Jamie, Jed or Joey ever did. I'm still not used to it."

"Is she making you sore?"

"No, but feel this."

The second Castle's hands made contact with my baby bump, the gestating child switched positions and nailed us with her heels, like she was enjoying it. Castle sat me on the edge of the bed and got got on his knees to massage my belly, a tactic that has always worked during my past pregnancies when the baby got squirmy. My daughter downgraded her mood to restless.

"I don't know." Castle sighed as pulled my top back over the big bump. "Little Bunny is just in a goofy mood today."

"Then you and I have different definitions of the word 'goofy.' She really doesn't like having her space invaded."

"She's practicing for when she grows up to be on the force, just like mama."

I raised my eyebrows. "You wouldn't mind if your littlest daughter is one day carrying around a gun and shield?"

"Of course not, because she'll be adept at self defense… but we can wrap her in a layer of bubble wrap, to be safe."

I gave him a playful shove. "Just for that, she's going to be the one who gives _you_ the most grief as a teenager, and then be sporting a tattoo, a nose ring, a navel ring, and spiked hair by age twenty-one, like I was!"

Castle gaped at me. "D-do you have pictures?"

"Dad probably does." I arched my back as the baby turned over. "If this one will be on the force, and Alexis is already a columnist, what about the rest of the kids?"

"Lily will be a film or theater actress, Jameson will be an author just like his old man, Jeremiah will be in Major League Baseball, and Johanna will be a pianist since Lily is teaching her how to play piano."

"You've really thought this out."

"I have good imagination."

Suddenly, there came a knock on the closed bedroom door, followed LJ's voice.

"Mama, is it okay if we check on you guys?"

"Come on in, Baby Bird!"

The next thing we knew, all of our kids were heading straight to the bed, with Jameson and the twins miraculously squeezing themselves onto my lap. LJ settled for sitting on Castle's, and Alexis was content to sit on the end, next to Castle. It's not often that all of the kids want cuddles at the same time, so it's always a special feeling and I never take it for granted. Even the baby was beginning to calm down.

"So how come all five of you came to check on us?" Castle asked.

"No real reason." LJ told him. "I looked everywhere but in here, then bumped into Lexie 'cause was chasing Joey."

_"Only_ because Joey was torturing Jamie and Jed again." Alexis tacked on in her defense. "Joey needed some kind of distraction because the boys were about to start crying."

"And yet they followed you, Lily and Joey?"

"Like little shadows."

"It's almost time for eating." LJ said suddenly. "Are you going to come with us, mama?"

"Yeah, I just need to get up."

"You should use the crutches 'cause daddy said you need practice since you walked ten whole feet today."

"Practicing is always good."

She agreed and brought over my crutches from my bedside table.

"Ready?"

"What if I fall?"

"Daddy will catch you 'cause he said two have had each other's backs, even before I was born!" The little redhead reasoned. "Since you two have always loved each other, then I think that means that you'll always have each other's backs, hands and hearts, even if time stopped one day!"

My heart turned to mush and I barely got myself in working order before I put the crutches on.

"Come on, mama!" LJ encouraged. "You need your foot stronger!"

Today's physical therapy session had worn me out slightly, but my husband and kids cheered me on when I stood without too much wobbliness. As I made it out to the living room, nobody questioned what had kept us, instead saying nothing but encouraging things because they know I'm a proud person and that it's been hard to accept help while I'm recovering.

I can make it to the finish line; positive thinking is key.

* * *

Later on, I watched from the couch as everybody sat around the living room doing quiet activities, relaxing after all of the food and birthday cake had been eaten. Everybody looked content, and I was feeling the happiest I'd felt in a long time, and it helped that Castle was tracking the baby's movements again as she kicked, stretched and turned over, apparently unable to decide on what position she wanted to stay in. Her movements made me shift to make myself comfortable, which in turn caused Castle back to reality. He had been drifting off.

"What are you thinking about?"

The baby hit me with an elbow as I turned to look at Castle, and I winced.

"Other than Little Bunny giving me trouble for suddenly changing positions just now, I can honestly say that I haven't felt this happy about life in general for quite awhile. We're going to be okay; I'm going to be okay."

He kissed me on the forehead. "That's great to hear, and yes, we will be okay, but even better when we hold our baby girl for the first time. Speaking of whom, has Alexis come up with a name for her yet?"

"No."

"Shucks."

"But even when she does, it's not like she'll tell us until the baby comes."

"Good point. Maybe I can bribe her…"

"Don't get carried away, otherwise she'll use her children in a revenge plan, just like she did when you hid her chocolate bar from her a few days before she had Natalie!"

"Uh-huh…"

Of course my words would fall on deaf ears.

"You're hopeless, you know that?"

"I love you, too…"

I rolled my eyes and gave my attention to LJ, who was directing Jenny about how close the card table should be to the couch.

"Lily Joy, what are you doing?"

"Aunt Jenny wants to play Uno, and so do Flora and a couple other people! I told her to set the table up here 'cause we're inviting you to join."

"Oh, why not? I'm game for a few rounds!"

"Hooray!"

I held my hands out to her. "But I need you to help me sit up."

LJ was more than happy to oblige and even stuffed pillows behind me so I wouldn't accidentally tip over. She did everything she could to make sure the baby and I were comfortable before sitting next to Bella, so she could show her how to play.

Even though the game turned chaotic when Ezekiel began slipping all of his block, skip and reverse cards to Moses in an effort to mess with Jubilation, and I was asked to referee, I still felt happy.

* * *

I have my beautiful family and all of my dear friends; a great job (even if it's on hold right now) and a steady income; a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food to eat; the baby and I are in great health; and I'm well on the road to recovery after a bad ankle break. None of that sounds too bad to me.

That's how I know I'm going to be okay.

* * *

**And so another story is done; bittersweet. I hope to see as many of you as possible in the next story, ****_Cosmic Love,_**** so subscribe if you haven't already! Stanatic 13, I'm looking at you!**

**_Special thanks to Stanatic 13 for great suggestions that really turned things around, and even more thanks to myboygeorge and dasKamel for kicking my ass when I needed it ;)_**


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